Chad Brown | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Rising Star’ Malathaat Favored For Oaks 147

'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin), undefeated in four career starts and winner of her seasonal debut in the GI Central Bank Ashland S. at Keeneland Apr. 3, was made the 5-2 favorite from gate 10 on Mike Battaglia's morning line for Friday's 147th running of the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

One of three in the race for her outstanding sire, Malathaat–a daughter of 2013 Oaks fourth Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy)–defeated Millefeuille (Curlin, gate 14) in the GII Demoiselle S. last December and was very game in the Ashland, where she outfinished Pass the Champagne (Flatter, gate 5) by a head, with GIII Honeybee S. winner Will's Secret (Will Take Charge, gate 11) a distant third. The $1.05-million Keeneland September grad has the services of John Velazquez, who won the 2004 Oaks aboard the Todd Pletcher-trained Ashado (Saint Ballado). Pletcher is a three-time winner of the race.

The last two horses pulled by Churchill racing secretary Ben Huffman were a pair of fillies that got to know one another very well over the winter. 'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) was allotted post position six for trainer Brad Cox, who sent out Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) to upset the COVID-delayed Oaks of 2020 last September. Travel Column defeated Clairiere (Curlin) by a length in last year's GII Golden Rod S. beneath the Twin Spires, but the Stonestreet runner exacted her revenge with a neck success over Travel Column in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February, but the latter reversed form comprehensively when last seen in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks. Florent Geroux, who was in the irons last year and for Monomoy Girl (Tapizar)'s tally in 2018, goes for a third win in four years on Travel Column, while Clairiere will leave from gate three for two-time Oaks-winning conditioner Steve Asmussen.

Chad Brown has yet to win an Oaks, but will have every chance to right that wrong with Klaravich Stables' Search Results (Flatter). The 3-1 morning-line second pick, also undefeated in three runs including a 2 3/4-length defeat of Maracuja (Honor Code) in the GIII Gazelle S. Apr. 3, will have to work out a trip from the 12 hole for Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Friday, Churchill Downs, post time: 5:51 p.m. ET

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS-GI, $1,250,000, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m

1 Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), Santana, Jr., Asmussen, 20-1

2 Maracuja (Honor Code), Carmouche, Atras, 20-1

3 Clairiere (Curlin), Gaffalione, Asmussen, 5-1

4 Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map), Ortiz, McPeek, 15-1

5 Pass the Champagne (Flatter), Castellano, Weaver, 15-1

6 Travel Column (Frosted), Geroux, Cox, 3-1

7 Ava's Grace (Laoban), Cohen, Diodoro, 50-1

8 Moraz (Empire Maker), Prat, McCarthy, 30-1

9 Coach (Commissioner), Saez, Cox, 50-1

10 Malathaat (Curlin), Velazquez, Pletcher, 5-2

11 Will's Secret (Will Take Charge), Court, Stewart, 30-1

12 Search Results (Flatter), Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brown, 3-1

13 Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge), Landeros, Gonzalez, 50-1

14 Millefeuille (Curlin), Rosario, Mott, 20-1

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Kentucky Oaks: Undefeated Search Results ‘Came Back Bouncing’ From Final Breeze

Klaravich Stables' Search Results, undefeated in three starts for trainer Chad Brown, including the April 3 Gazelle (G3) at Aqueduct, had some classy company as she completed her last major work for the Oaks. The daughter of Flatter walked onto the Churchill Downs main track at 7:34 with her stablemate, the grade 1-winning millionaire Dunbar Road, who starts in Friday's La Troienne (G1). The pair went five furlongs in a comfortable 1:02.60, which gave Brown plenty of reason for encouragement.

“I gave her an easy work by design,” Brown said. “She's coming back in four weeks so she's very, very fit. I liked the way she went and she really seemed to get over the ground. I just wanted to get her used to the track a bit and she came back bouncing around when we untacked her. I wanted to bring her in there sound and happy and I think we're well on our way to doing that.

“She doesn't normally work with Dunbar Road, they've been in different places, but I just go with the roster I have,” Brown said. “With both horses running two turns on the dirt next Friday, they were a real good match. They were right together and perfect, but in fairness, it was an easy work and anyone could have stayed with anyone. Dunbar Road has run here before and the other filly hasn't been here very long, so with this particular horse, where she's at in her development, I thought it was important.

“She's got a nice solid mile and an eighth race into her in the Gazelle,” Brown said. “She ran quite fast at Aqueduct, faster than the boys in the Wood (G2) on the same card (1:54.14 to 1:54.49), so that's a pretty good indicator of how fit she is and what she potentially got out of that race. So, I just wanted to get her over the track, and they galloped out really well. I got them galloping out in 1:15 (for six furlongs) and her ears were up and I was really happy with it.

“The dynamics of the Oaks figure a lot different than the Gazelle (Search Results was just a length off a half-mile in 50.09),” Brown said. “This filly, much like our Derby horse Highly Motivated, has good early tactical speed. They have shown they can be on the lead at any point, but are probably a touch better with a target. So, with speed signed up in the Oaks—there looks like there are some horses and I've seen some quick breezes here too—if somebody goes out there and she can lay in close proximity, that's my ideal trip. Of course, whether you get your ideal trip in a horse race, is to be determined, but that's what I'd like to see.”

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Derby Notes: Highly Motivated Impresses First Day At Churchill, Caddo River Confirmed To Race

Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated, runner-up to likely Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) in his most recent start, made his first appearance on the main track at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning galloping under exercise rider Peter Roman.

Highly Motivated arrived Monday morning from Keeneland where he had been training since the Blue Grass. Trainer Chad Brown plans to work Highly Motivated on Saturday, weather permitting. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday.

Trainer Brad Cox reported Tuesday morning that Shortleaf Stable's Arkansas Derby (GI) runner-up Caddo River would run in the Kentucky Derby. He's scheduled to work Saturday.

Unseasonably cool temperatures are expected to arrive in the Louisville area overnight Tuesday with snow showers early Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Trainer Todd Pletcher sent his quartet of Kentucky Derby hopefuls out in groups of two for 1 3/8-mile gallops Tuesday morning.

Going first during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks hopefuls were St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda with Hector Ramos aboard and Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One with Carlos Perez Quevedo aboard.

Coming out just before 8 o'clock were Calumet Farm's Bourbonic with Ramos aboard and WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood with Amelia Green aboard.

Pletcher has penciled in Saturday as the work day for his Derby runners but noted, “There could be some weather coming in and we will watch that and could move the works to Friday.”

CADDO RIVER, ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – Trainer Brad Cox confirmed Tuesday morning that Shortleaf Stable's Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Caddo River would run in the Kentucky Derby.

“If all goes well after his work on Saturday, we'll run in the Derby,” Cox said. “He came out of the Arkansas Derby in great shape. He's a sound horse who is training well.”

All three of his Derby contenders galloped about 1 ½ miles Tuesday morning. Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality trained at 5:15 a.m. with Edvin Vargas in the saddle. About 45 minutes later, Caddo River trained with Gustavo Abrego in the saddle. At 7:30, during the exclusive training session for Derby and Oaks contenders, Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun trained with Fernando Espinoza in the boot.

All three horses are scheduled to work Saturday morning, according to Cox.

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – Live Oak Plantation's Soup and Sandwich, along with D J Stable's Helium, galloped 1 ½ miles early Tuesday beneath the Twin Spires.

Trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll reported both horses would work this weekend. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione rides Soup and Sandwich in the Derby while Helium will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – With exercise rider Peter Roman aboard, Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated galloped during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.

Highly Motivated arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday and following shortly thereafter was trainer Chad Brown.

“He got around there good this morning and I am pleased with the way he shipped in,” said Brown, who has started five horses in the Kentucky Derby with his best finish coming in 2018 when Good Magic was runner-up to eventual Triple Crown winner Justify.

Highly Motivated closed his 2020 campaign with a track record-setting performance in the Nyquist Stakes at Keeneland. A third-place finish in the Gotham (G3) opened 2021 followed by the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass that marked his first start around two turns.

“I thought the Blue Grass was a really good race and that was the first time he had been on the lead,” Brown said. “I am confident he can handle the two turns and I think he will move forward in this race.

“We shut him down on purpose (after the Nyquist) and worked backward from the Derby. He has hit all the marks getting here.”

KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Enrique Benitez at 5:45.

Sitting at No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, the Robertino Diodoro trainee's next work date is to be determined.

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury galloped a mile and a half shortly after 5:30 with Danny Ramsey aboard for trainer Kenny McPeek.

Winner of the Lexington at Keeneland in his most recent start, King Fury sits at No. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. He is scheduled to work Saturday.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes-placed colt Midnight Bourbon had a scheduled walk day following his five-furlong move in :59.80 Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's upset Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Super Stock galloped about 1 3/8 miles with Juan Vargas aboard. He's scheduled to work Saturday.

O BESOS – Barrett Bernard, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' O Besos will have his final work prior to the Kentucky Derby Wednesday or Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Marcelino Pedroza will be aboard for the work and also ride O Besos in the Kentucky Derby.

“He's maturing even more as every day goes by,” Pedroza said. “The first time I worked this horse I couldn't believe he won going six furlongs. He loved the extra distance in the Louisiana Derby.”

O Besos had a light gallop Tuesday morning with exercise rider Margarito Fierro.

Pedroza and Fierro share a common bond entering the Kentucky Derby as both riders are overcoming life changing events. Pedroza lost his mother last year at 44-years-old to brain cancer while Fierro was once told he'd never gallop again because of colon cancer. TwinSpires.com's Andrew Brown reported the remarkable story here: https://bit.ly/3dwZBlx.

STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams galloped about 1 ½ miles at 6:30 a.m. under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.

Starrininmydreams sits No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 1 in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Essential Quality (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, Doug O'Neill); Super Stock (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Rock Your World (Joel Rosario, John Sadler); Bourbonic (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher); Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert); Midnight Bourbon (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen); Mandaloun (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown); Helium (Julien Leparoux, Mark Casse); Soup and Sandwich (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Dynamic One (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Sainthood (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Hidden Stash (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); O Besos (Marcelino Pedroza, Greg Foley); Get Her Number (TBA, Peter Miller).

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton).

Next up in order of preference: King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart).

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Jose Ortiz Claims Jockey Title During Aqueduct Spring Meet; Brown Tops Among Trainers

A short spring slate at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., saw familiar faces finish atop the leaderboards for the jockey and trainer standings, as Jose Ortiz outlasted his brother, Irad Ortiz, Jr., by a 24-17 win margin after the boutique 11-day meet's finale on Sunday.

Trainer Chad Brown recorded 10 wins to pace all conditioners, while Peter Brant and Noda Brothers each compiled four wins to tie for the top owners mark.

The Ortiz brothers dominated the standings in the three-week meet, combining for 41 victories out of the 95 total races contested.

Jose Ortiz' winning campaign was bolstered by his April 11 effort in which he won with 5-of-6 mounts, including piloting Regal Glory to victory in the featured $100,000 Plenty of Grace. Ortiz won with his first four mounts on the day and teamed with Brown to capture the Plenty of Grace.

It marked the first meet title for Ortiz on the NYRA circuit since the 2020 Belmont Park fall meet. Ortiz, who was New York's leading jockey for the entire 2020 campaign, compiled a record of 24-10-10 in 68 mounts and earnings of more than $1.3 million for the spring meet.

Ortiz capped the meet on a high note by winning Sunday's $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue aboard Shaker Shack.

“It's a big deal,” Ortiz said. “We're happy with where we are and it sets us up for the Belmont meet.”

Ortiz, 27, last won the Aqueduct spring meet in 2014, which was the first of his now 10 individual meet titles.

“It's nice to win and I'm also happy for Irad; he's had a great start of the year,” Ortiz said about finishing 1-2 with his brother. “He congratulated me earlier and said he's proud of me, and that means a lot.”

Ortiz, Jr. posted a valiant runner-up effort despite riding at Keeneland from April 7 – 11, traveling to Churchill Downs to breeze Kentucky Derby-contender Known Agenda on April 16 and to Oaklawn Park on April 17 to pilot Letruska to victory in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom.

The 28-year-old Ortiz, Jr. won with a record-tying 6-of-11 mounts on the Wood Memorial Day card, including the meet's lone Grade 1 aboard Mischevious Alex in the $300,000 Carter Handicap along with Grade 3 scores in the $250,000 Gazelle with Kentucky Oaks-contender Search Results and with Drain the Clock in the $200,000 Bay Shore.

“It's been more of the same from them: immense natural talent combined with tremendous work ethic,” said Brown of the Ortiz brothers' success. “When those two things meet, you're going to win a lot of races.”

Third-place finisher Kendrick Carmouche, who finished with 12 wins, guided the Pletcher-trained Calumet Farm homebred Bourbonic to a record 72-1 upset in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino to earn his first Kentucky Derby mount in the 100-40-20-10 point qualifying event.

Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, also notched his first meet title since the Belmont fall, compiling a record of 10-4-4 with 31 starters for a 32.26 winning percentage. Brown's horses earned $766,450. Todd Pletcher was second with six wins while Linda Rice was third with five.

Brown, who last won the Aqueduct spring meet in 2018, got off to a quick start, saddling Search Results to victory in the Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for sophomore fillies on Wood Memorial Day April 3. Search Results, piloted by Ortiz, Jr., earned 100 qualifying points to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks for her 2 3/4-length effort in the 1 1/8-mile contest. It was the third time in his career Brown won the Gazelle.

“I'm very appreciative; it was a long winter just preparing for this meet,” Brown said. “Our program is tailored around NYRA, mostly, just getting the horses ready all winter. After missing a lot of last year, this year's start has been more traditional for us. It feels good and gives us a sense of normalcy to get back on track with how we point our horses to begin their seasons in April in New York.”

The 42-year-old Brown also compiled stakes wins on back-to-back days, starting with Delaware's triumph in the Danger's Hour on April 10 and following with Regal Glory in the Plenty of Grace. Brown is the defending leading trainer in New York for the last six years, finishing atop the standings in every campaign since 2015.

“New York is our home base, so we try to have the horses ready to run here,” Brown said. “All the credit goes to my team for having these horses ready for this meet. I'm also thankful for our owners, who have been extremely patient. They pay a lot of bills all winter to not run much, but they trust the process of coming up to New York and running for generous purses on nice, fresh racing surfaces.”

Brant saw half of his starters earn winner's circle trips, compiling a 4-1-2 record in eight starts with earnings of $205,950. The meet-leading troika of Brant-Brown-Ortiz made up the winning connections of Regal Glory in the Plenty of Grace. Brown trained all of Brant's winners, including non-stakes scores with Brazillionaire, Kuramata and Flighty Lady.

Noda Brothers, comprised of trainer Orlando Noda and Jonathan Noda, went 4-0-2 in 10 starts for earnings of $111,185. Orlando Noda trained all of the partnership's winners, with Choose Happiness, Vintage Hollywood and Daria's Angel giving the duo three wins in three days from April 15-17 to secure a tie with Brant.

Thoroughbred action shifts to Belmont Park for the 48-day spring/summer meet that runs from Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, July 11.

The spring/summer meet will offer its highest ever overnight purse schedule supported by significant monetary increases across most race categories, including maiden special weight races featuring a purse of $90,000, while horsemen participating in the claiming ranks will compete for purse money ranging up to $100,000.

A total of 59 stakes races worth $16.95 million in purses will highlight the meet, including the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes set for June 5.

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