Chad Brown
8th-Churchill Downs, $74,691, Alw (NW3$X)/Opt. Clm ($80,000), 6-4, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:22.58, sy. GUARANA (f, 4, Ghostzapper--Magical World, by Distorted Humor), a multiple Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star', made a successful return to the races Thursday at Churchill, stalking the pace and drawing off to an easy allowance victory to kick off her 4-year-old season. Dominating on debut last April at Keeneland to the tune of a 14 3/4-length romp at 4-5, the bay validated that effort with a scintillating six-length score in the GI Acorn S. at Belmont and...
It won't take long for the stars to come out at the abbreviated Belmont spring/summer meet, as multiple Grade I winners Got Stormy (Get Stormy) and Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) headline a stout six-horse field in Wednesday's opening-day feature at Big Sandy, the GIII Beaugay S. Third at 21-1 behind Rushing Fall in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. last spring at Keeneland, Gary Barber's Got Stormy developed into a turf terror over the summer, capturing the De La Rose S. Aug. 3 at Saratoga and famously coming back...
9th-CD, $83K, OC 62k/N2X, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16m, 5:12 p.m. W.S. Farish homebred ROYAL FLAG (Candy Ride {Arg}), an impressive winner of two straight by a combined margain of 17 lengths, including a runaway optional claiming tally at Gulfstream with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure in her two-turn debut most recently Feb. 7, looks to keep the streak alive here. The 4-year-old half-sister to the talented MGSW and young sire Catalina Cruiser (Union Rags) is the 6-5 morning-line favorite. She is trained by Chad Brown. TJCIS PPs
Trainer Chad Brown was trackside at Belmont Park Thursday morning to oversee turf workouts for a pair of top-class distaffers. Working in company were eFive Racing's Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) and Peter Brant's Fifty Five (Get Stormy), who were each clocked a half-mile in a leisurely :50.48. The conditioner said that both mares would make an appearance on the much-anticipated opening day of the Belmont spring/summer meeting next Wednesday, June 3. They both worked fine and will be entered for the [GIII] Beaugay [S.]," Brown told the NYRA notes...
Taking advantage of a scorching pace in front of him, Peter Brant's Raging Bull (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) produced a slingshot, wide move on the far turn and kept on going to dominate the GI Shoemaker Mile S. Monday at Santa Anita, the first Grade I event at the Arcadia oval since it reopened for racing. The victory in the Win & You're In event punched Raging Bull's ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Winning four of six to start his career as a 3-year-old, including victories in the...
River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) seeks his third straight victory Monday in the GI Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita, but he won't have it easy with 10 other talented runners signed on. Winner of the GIII La Jolla H. in 2018 and runner-up in this even last year, the dark bay had been knocking at the door of another stakes victory for some time, hitting the board in seven black-type events. He finally broke through Feb. 8 in the GIII Thunder Road S. going a mile over the local...
The GI Gamely S. looks like a face off between Chad Brown and Richard Baltas as they each saddle a strong pair of runners in this Memorial Day event at Santa Anita. Baltas has the home court advantage and he sends out GI American Oaks victress Lady Prancealot (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) with East Coast-based rider John Velazquez in the irons. Also victorious in Keeneland's GIII Valley View S. last October, she was most recently fourth to the reopposing Keeper Ofthe Stars (Midnight Lute) in the GII Buena Vista S....
Dunbar Road, last year's GI Alabama S. winner, did herself no favors at the start, but asserted her superiority just the same to kick off her 4-year-old season successfully. Guided to the rail at the back of the pack following a stutter-step start, the bay scraped paint while biding her time under stout Jose Ortiz restraint before coming off the fence and creeping closer midway down the backside. She started to rev up leaving the home bend, and swept up to take a narrow advantage after six panels in 1:13.06....
4th-Churchill Downs, $75,368, Msw, 5-23, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.12, ft ALTAF (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro--Fawaarek, by Smart Strike) was seventh beaten four lengths when unveiled over the Gulfstream grass Apr. 2, but was installed the 5-2 favorite here switching surfaces and circuits. Towards the back of the pack early behind swift splits of :22.58 and :45.62, the bay checked off of heels heading into the home bend but quickly gathered herself back up to pick off rivals out in the clear. She caught the eye past the quarter pole while...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 8th-CD, $81K, Alw/Opt. Clm ($75K), 7f, 3yo, f, 4:40 p.m. ET Two well-regarded sophomore fillies who earned lofty Beyer numbers in first-out victories will knock heads in this seven-furlong first-level allowance under the Twin Spires Friday. OXO Equine's CENTER AISLE (Into Mischief) was the third-highest lot to sell at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale when hammering for $1.5 million, and backed that price up with a strong debut success Mar. 29 at Gulfstream, stalking the speed and edging clear to score by 3 3/4 lengths...
1st-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo, 8fT, 12:45 p.m. ET HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud's HERO D'ORO (Medaglia d'Oro) gets a chance at redemption while trying the turf for the first time. A disinterested 10th in his career debut on the main track here Feb. 29, the $1.2-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream graduate gets the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. for this return. Out of After Thought (Fusaichi Pegasus), the Chad Brown trainee is a half-brother to a pair of stakes winners on the turf--Annulment and Youngest Daughter. This is the family...
5th-Gulfstream, $38,000, Msw, 4-25, 3yo, 7f, 1:23.25, ft. BASQUIAT (c, 3, American Pharoah--Divalarious {SP}, by Distorted Humor) was legged up for this debut at Payson Park, closing a formidable worktab with a strong five-furlong move in 1:02 2/5 over the deep surface Apr. 19. The second betting favorite at 19-10, about $3,400 less than 9-5 Ashiham (Tapit), the Brant homebred was asked for a bit of speed by the comebacking Irad Ortiz, Jr. and raced prominently early on behind Chasing Anna (Fast Anna) before taking back into fourth while racing...