Klaravich Stables' Public Sector maintained a streak of graded stakes victories by capturing Saturday's $400,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince, a nine-furlong inner turf test for sophomores at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Expertly piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the bay son of Kingman settled five lengths back in third down the backstretch before making a sweeping move in the stretch to wear down Never Surprised to win by a neck. The victory garnered a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure.
Public Sector arrived at his nine-furlong debut off two sharp Saratoga graded stakes coups, taking the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on August 6 and the Grade 3 Saranac four weeks later.
“He had been training really well and he's a horse that just continues to improve,” Brown said. “It was a great ride. Irad gave him a great trip and the horse really responded well to him.”
The victory marked a ninth graded-stakes triumph during the month of October for Brown, seven of which were at Belmont.
Brown applauded the pacesetting runner-up Never Surprised, who also rounded out the exacta in the Saranac.
“The pacemaker is a good horse and runs fast numbers and, I thought, a legitimate contender to win the race,” Brown said. “When they kicked on for home, there was a moment there I didn't think we'd be able to reel him in. I have a lot of respect for that horse.”
Public Sector is scheduled to make his next start in the $400,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on November 28 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. He will be following a familiar path as Brown and Klaravich Stables teamed up to capture last year's Hollywood Derby with multiple Grade 1-winner Domestic Spending, one of the likely favorites for the upcoming Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf.
Peter Brant's three-time Grade 1-winner Raging Bull breezed five-eighths in 1:01.80 in company Sunday with graded stakes winner Orglandes over firm Belmont inner turf.
“They both worked great,” Brown said.
Raging Bull, a last-out third in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on September 18, will make his next start in the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile on November 6 at Del Mar. The 6-year-old Dark Angel bay was 10th in last year's Mile.
Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso's Orglandes finished a game second in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Waya last out and will target the $100,000 Zagora on October 31. The daughter of Le Havre won her graded stakes debut last year when shipping to Del Mar to capture the Grade 3 Red Carpet going 11 furlongs.
“It was nice to get her back on track in her last race,” Brown said. “We had some high hopes for her and things just didn't pan out. Hopefully, she can continue to turn things around.”
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