Can Brown Go Back-to-Back in Bev D?

Trainer Chad Brown finished one-two in last year's GI Beverly D. S. after the controversial DQ of unofficial winner Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), and he holds a very strong hand in Saturday's renewal, which comes with an automatic berth into the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf. A French Group 2 winner and twice Group 1-placed overseas last term for Francois Doumen, Martin Schwartz's Sea Calisi (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) made her Stateside debut over yielding Belmont sod in the May 7 GII Sheepshead Bay S., and uncorked a powerful top-of-the-lane rally to win impressively. Fellow Brown pupil Guapaza (Chi) (Seeking the Dia {Chi}), who took her second consecutive stakes in Saratoga's GIII Waya S. last Saturday, was second. Things didn't go as smoothly for Sea Calisi in the June 10 GII New York S., and she found herself completely bottled up in the stretch, settling for second behind stablemate Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) and ahead of Guapaza. Brown and Schwartz, who partnered to take this race in 2011 with eventual champion Stacelita (Fr), have also entered fresh import Elusive Million (Ire) (Pour Moi {Ire}), who appears to be running to ensure a quick pace. Schwartz also took home back-to-back Beverly D. trophies in 2005 and 2006 with Patrick Biancone-trained Angara (GB) and Gorella (Fr).

Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners have won the GI Arlington Million and GI Secretariat S., but never this event for the fairer sex. They have two chances to change that with GI Belmont Oaks third Coolmore (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and 13th Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Niarchos homebred Faufiler (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) got her first U.S. win when she rallied into a hot pace to upset Gulfstream's Sand Springs S. in February. She ran out of real estate when second in Santa Anita GII Royal Heroine Mile May 5, and was fifth behind a dominant performance from Celestine (Scat Daddy) in Belmont's GI Just a Game S. June 11. Faufiler returned to winning ways in the course-and-distance GIII Modesty H. July 9, besting four returning rivals in the process.

One with live longshot potential is French shipper Pretty Girl (Arg) (Harlan's Holiday). Winner of the 2014 G1 Copa de Plata over approximately 1 1/4 miles in Argentina, she kicked home quickly to take Vichy's 1600-meter Prix Jacques de Bremond last out July 26 (video) and might appreciate a bit more ground to work with.