Brown Using ‘3’ Wood in Flower Bowl

Why run one when three will do? That isn’t exactly how the phrase goes, but trainer Chad Brown will be a busy man in the 20 or so minutes ahead of today’s GI Flower Bowl Invitational S., which offers the winner a fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Brown, who sent out Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) to win the 2011 running, accounts for a third of today’s nine-strong field–for three different owners–the strongest of which appears on paper to be Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Stephanie’s Kitten (Kitten’s Joy). Earlier in her career, the homebred gave the impression that she preferred distances up to nine panels, with a win in the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and a gutsy score in the GII Lake Placid S. as a 3-year-old. Her two tallies in 2013 came at a mile including the GI Just a Game S., but she’s shown this year that she stays a bit further, as evidenced by her near-miss second in the GI Diana S. July 19 and in the GI Beverly D. S., when she came from far back off no pace whatsoever to miss by 3/4 of a length in that 9 1/2-furlong test. 

“It’s give and take,” said the trainer. “She’s lost a little bit of the speed she had in her younger days, but with that, she’s now able to go 1 1/4 miles effectively. When the Ramseys gave me this filly, their goal was to get her to the [1 1/4-mile GI] Breeders’ Cup [Filly & Mare Turf].” 

Owner Martin Schwartz, who raced Stacelita and whose Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) was runner-up here in 2012 before landing that year’s F/M Turf, will look to Alterite (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) to return to her better form. A listed winner and twice Group 1-placed in France, she won the GI Garden City S. in her U.S. debut 54 weeks ago, but is winless since, despite a good third to Dank (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in last year’s F/M Turf. Eighth in the Diana, she was last at 3-1 in the Beverly D.

“Her two races so far this year have been disappointing,” admitted Brown. “With that said, she’s been training terrific here at Belmont.” 

Trainer Shug McGaughey has never tasted victory in the Flower Bowl, but has an excellent chance this afternoon with Abaco (Giant’s Causeway). Runner-up to Riposte (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in this track’s GII Sheepshead Bay S. over 11 furlongs in May, she could not overcome the slow pace in the Diana and settled for fourth despite a huge final-furlong rally that was faster than any of her rivals, bar Stephanie’s Kitten. The chestnut was along late to best Strathnaver (GB)(Oasis Dream {GB}) by a neck in the GII Ballston Spa S. Aug. 23, and this 1 1/4-mile trip should hit her right between the eyes.

Tannery (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), runner-up to her ill-fated stablemate Laughing (GB) (Dansili {GB}) here last year, needs to find her better form, though she will get her preferred easy underfoot conditions this afternoon. Soaring Softly (Kris S.) in 1999 is the only horse to win the Flower Bowl en route to Breeders’ Cup success.