Chad Brown

'TDN Rising Star' Wit (Practical Joke) launches his 3-year-old campaign against nine rivals in Saturday's GIII Bay Shore S. After beginning his career with a pair of blowout victories despite awkward breaks, led by Saratoga's GIII Sanford S., the 2-1 Bay Shore morning-line favorite was second after stumbling at the start in the GI Hopeful S. Sept. 6 and a well-beaten third in the GI Champagne S. most recently Oct. 2. "He's doing really well," Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We got a good work into him Sunday....

The New York road to the GI Kentucky Derby concludes with Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S., featuring the winners of Aqueduct's GII Remsen S., GIII Withers S. and GIII Gotham S., respectively. Morello (Classic Empire) brings a perfect three-for-three record to the table for Steve Asmussen following sharp, press-and-pounce victories in the Jimmy Winkfield S. Feb. 6 and one-turn mile Gotham Mar. 5. He is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for this first test around two turns. "We're excited. The horse is doing well, he's super sharp and we think we...

A small, but competitive field of six sophomore colts are set to line up Friday in Keeneland's GIII Transylvania S. Two-time Transylvania winner Chad Brown saddles a third of the field in Verbal (Flintshire {GB}) and Napoleonic War (War Front). Rallying to a decisive score in his Belmont unveiling Oct. 10, Juddmonte homebred Verbal closed strongly to take Del Mar's GIII Cecil B. Demille S. at Del Mar next out Nov. 28. He is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in this sophomore bow. His stablemate Napoleonic War is the longest shot...

Before the G1 Dubai World Cup, Country Grammer (Tonalist) was already a Grade l winner in North America, but that race that he won on May 31, 2021, the Gl Hollywood Gold Cup S. at Santa Anita, was worth only $180,000 to the winner. Since then, Country Grammer has made only two starts, both abroad and both fruitful: he was second in the G1 Saudi Cup, a $20-million race in Riyadh on Feb. 26, earning $3.5 million; and he won the $12-million Dubai World Cup Saturday, collecting almost $7 million,...

Klaravich Stables' Early Voting (Gun Runner) worked in company Friday in preparation for the GII Wood Memorial Apr. 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The unbeaten GIII Withers S. winner went a half-mile in :48.47 (26/134) over the Belmont Park training track with stablemate and last year's Withers winner Risk Taking (Medaglia d'Oro). "The horse is coming along really well," said trainer Chad Brown. "He's been doing well since the Withers and he's been doing everything the right way. He's still on track for the Wood." Early Voting captured his debut going...

Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Florida, is a gem of a racecourse that doesn't get the accolades it should. Owned by Stella Thayer, president of the track and a member of The Jockey Club, and her brother, Howell Ferguson, Tampa Bay Downs is expertly managed day to day by Peter Berube, vice president and general manager, and Margo Flynn, vice president of marketing. This was obvious on Saturday--"Festival Day 42"--when the track showcased its signature event, the Gll Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, one of five black-type events on the...

Making her U.S. debut as the 3-1 second-elect, Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) fell into a golden trip from a perfect draw and pounced late to narrowly defeat stablemate Spicer (Quality Road) in Saturday's GIII Florida Oaks. It was a second straight Florida Oaks winner saddled by trainer Chad Brown and keyed a one-two finish for the second time in the day's graded events. Away without incident from the three hole, the bay filly--adding Lasix for her first stateside appearance--secured a cozy spot at the fence as Spicer prompted soft...

Peter Brant's Bleecker Street (Quality Road) continued her rapid ascent through the turf distaff division with a thoroughly dominating performance in the GII Hillsborough S. at Tampa, easily accounting for her commonly owned stablemate Rocky Sky (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) to remain unblemished from five starts. While 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown) held the early call as the Hillsborough field galloped past the stands for the first time, it was Gladys (Medaglia d'Oro), the own-sister to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra, who took up the running into...

6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 3-12, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:11.35, gd, 1 1/4 lengths. GINA ROMANTICA (f, 3, Into Mischief--Special Me, by Unbridled's Song) left the gates as a heavy 4-5 favorite in this debut for powerhouse connections. Rating from seventh early on, the $1.025 million KEESEP purchase watched the pack in front jostle for position down the backstretch and through the final turn. Called on for her rally coming into the lane from the far outside, Gina Romantica swooped by her rivals under a confident ride to win by...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $80K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:20 p.m. WITH BELLS ON (American Pharoah) starts her career for owners Bass Stables LLC and Cheyenne Stables after realizing $300,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The dam, a juvenile stakes winner on the turf by Giant's Causeway, has already produced two winners on the dirt including Princess Mo (Uncle Mo). Second dam Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) was also a stakes winning juvenile, taking the GI Matron S. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 11-36 over the last five...

Favored In Italian went wire-to-wire to give owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown their second graded victory of the afternoon in the GIII Honey Fox S. at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The chestnut filly rushed up to take the lead into the first turn. Allowed to set pedestrian splits, the favorite shrugged off a pair of challengers in upper stretch and skipped clear to the wire. "It went perfect," said winning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. "We didn't want to go head to head, but my filly outbroke all of them...

2nd-GP, $60k, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:40p.m. ET This contest kicks off the first of two maiden special weights on the Hallendale card with smartly regarded firsters. Breaking from the far outside, Blini (Tapit) has graded stakes winning shadows to outrun: full-siblings Iron Fist, MGSW, $1,104,199; Anchor Down, GISP & MGSW, $734,254; and half-sister Sweet Lulu (Mr. Greeley), GISW, $693,600. Her dam Successful Outlook (Orientate) is a third generation graded stakes runner and producer. To her inside, there is a Calumet owned and bred half-sister to SW, $865,921, Pingxiang (Speightstown)...