Chad Brown

When last seen at Saratoga some 10 months ago, Asbury Park (GB) (c, 3, Frankel {GB}--Limonar {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}) took unsurprising action as the 8-5 favorite, passed several rivals in the lane but fell short in fifth and had been missing since. Returning Friday as the 7-5 favorite and bearing the silks of his breeder St Elias Stable, the fashionably bred colt was void of early speed from his middle draw and was dragged back to the latter third of the red-hot Flavien Prat through a driving rainstorm....

A 2024 Eclipse Award finalist in the Female Sprinter category, Ways and Means (Practical Joke) chaired the GII Bed o' Roses Stakes session like a seasoned pro at the Spa on Friday afternoon. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' after debuting a winner by an eye-catching 12 3/4 lengths as a juvenile upstate that August, the filly last season turned in a sparkling performance when she netted the GI Test Stakes over the local course Aug. 3, and followed that up with a score in the GII Gallant Bloom Stakes at...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Undefeated GI Kentucky Oaks heroine and Godolphin homebred Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) will put her perfect seven-for-seven record on the line as she takes on six rivals in Friday's GI DK Horse Acorn S. at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. The Acorn is one of six graded stakes races on Friday's 14-race program, which also features three other Grade I events--the GI Ogden Phipps S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar; the GI New...

SARATIOGA SPRINGS--One thing trainer Michael McCarthy didn't have to worry about as he planned his trip to Saratoga Race Course was lodging. For his horses, anyway. When McCarthy shipped GI Belmont Stakes favorite Journalism (Curlin) and two other stakes horses to the Spa, he knew right where they were going. That would be the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, whom McCarthy worked for as an assistant for nearly 12 years before going out on his own in 2014. "I was a slow learner," McCarthy said with a...

4th-Monmouth, $51,275, Msw, 6-1, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:11.05, ft, 9 1/2 lengths. SINGLEMINDED (c, 3, Win Win Win--Eva London {SP}, by Adios Charlie) debuted Apr. 5 at Gulfstream Park in a mile turf maiden, and never left midpack for most of the race, finishing sixth in what became a blanket scramble on the wire. Moved to the main track and given blinkers for this second jump, the betting public made him the 6-5 second choice behind Bob Mo (Uncle Mo), who stepped forward to set the tempo as the 4-5 favorite....

GI Kentucky Derby third Baeza (McKinzie) arrived at Saratoga Race Course Thursday evening to prepare for his upcoming start in next weekend's GI Belmont Stakes. Trained by John Shirreffs, the half-brother to both Dornoch (Good Magic) and Mage (Good Magic) arrived at 8:45 p.m. from California along with the Doug O'Neill-trained Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief), who will likely enter the GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Handicap. "He looks pretty bright coming off the van," said Shirreffs on Thursday evening. Of the colt's Derby effort, Shirreffs added: "I thought he ran...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Lope De Vega's Growth Trajectory at Monmouth Park.   Chad Brown. Check. Klaravich Stables' silks. Check. Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling grad. Also check. That particular combo combined in Lope De Vega's 3-year-old filly Growth Trajectory, who blitzed a field of Monmouth maidens by 3 1/2 lengths on May 25 (video). Bred by The Wekeela Partnership in Britain, she was an 180,000gns purchase...

7th-Monmouth, $48,625, Msw, 5-25, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.85, fm, 3 1/2 lengths. GROWTH TRAJECTORY (GB) (f, 3, Lope de Vega {Ire}--Wekeela {Fr} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW & MGISP-USA, $418,587}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) was one of two runners in this contest to be making their debuts and the first-timers claimed the exacta in this turf maiden on the Jersey Shore. Bumped at the start, but recovering to race from fourth, the 7-2 second choice was rolling from three wide passing the quarter pole as she advanced through the far...

7th-Mth, $47K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 3:56 p.m. ET. The holiday card by the Jersey Shore includes first-time starter DIRAND (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}). Owned by Peter Brant and Tony Shafrazian, the 3-year-old is out of Unaided (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who White Birch acquired for €1,250,000 at the 2019 Arqana December Mixed Sale while in-foal to No Nay Never. This dam is also responsible for champion turf female & GI TVG Breeders' Cup Mile heroine Uni (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro). Dirand is trained by Chad Brown. From the same shedrow, Investment Mandate...

Kentucky Derby hero Sovereignty (Into Mischief) was out over Saratoga's Oklahoma training track Saturday morning as his preparations for the GI Belmont Stakes continued while a fleet of Grade I hopefuls also put in their works for respective contests. Putting in his second move since winning the nation's top prize for sophomores in early May, the Godolphin homebred went in company with fellow Grade I-winner Arthur's Ride (Tapit)--the pair clocking five panels in 1:02.54 (4/5) and 1:02.94 (5/5), respectively. Sovereignty started two lengths behind the grey and to his outside....

TIMONIUM, MD - "Extraordinary circumstances and at the end of the day, an extraordinary sale," Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said at the conclusion of a 12-hour renewal of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale which, seemingly against all odds, set records for gross, average and median. The 2025 Midlantic May sale was upended by a series of rainy days, which more than once forced the postponement of the under-tack show which ultimately concluded Sunday with a session of untimed gallops. Originally scheduled to be held over two sessions,...

Five of Chad Brown's Grade I-winning brigade hit the work tab at Saratoga over the weekend, led by MGISW Raging Sea (Curlin) and MGISW Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro). Heading out Friday in her first work since pulling the upset in the GI La Troienne on Kentucky Derby weekend, Raging Sea was clocked doing four furlongs over the Oklahoma training track in :49.25 (8/32) while in company with GSW & MGISP Occult (Into Mischief). She is being pointed to the GI Ogden Phipps June 6 during the Belmont Stakes...