Peter Brant's Virginia Joy scored the fourth group/graded victory of her career on Saturday in the Flower Bowl (G2) for older fillies and mares traveling 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course. The front-running effort garnered a career second-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure.
Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, Virginia Joy provided her conditioner with his 11th stakes win of the Saratoga meet. Brown leads all trainers at the meet heading into Sunday's 12-race card with 39 wins, five more than Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher [34].
“It's a credit to my team and the horses,” Brown said of his successes this summer. “It's a group of really talented teammates and coworkers and a deep pool of versatile, talented horses. Together, they put together a great meet, so all the credit goes to them.”
Virginia Joy's Flower Bowl win came in wire-to-wire fashion as she set a slow tempo with Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, marking off a half-mile in 53.29 seconds and a mile in 1:45.29. Heavy post-time favorite War Like Goddess made a rally from the back of the pack at the top of the lane and drove strongly down the middle of the lane, but could not catch up to Virginia Joy, who held off her challenger by a neck.
“She came out of it fine. She was able to set a soft pace and outsprint the favorite to the wire, so I was grateful for that,” said Brown. “She ran a great race – she set the fractions and I'm proud of her.”
The win awarded Virginia Joy a berth into the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf in November at Keeneland as part of the “Win and You're In” qualifying series, but Brown said he unsure exactly where the German-bred Soldier Hollow mare will run next.
“I'm not sure yet, I haven't decided,” said Brown. “I'll talk to Mr. Brant about it and see how she trains post-race. I haven't put much thought into that yet.”
The post ‘I Haven’t Put Much Thought Into That Yet’: Brown Unsure Of Next Start For ‘Win & You’re In’ Flower Bowl Winner Virginia Joy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
