Chad Brown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Aspray Back in Winner’s Circle in Lake Placid

Ran Jan Racing's immaculately bred Aspray (Quality Road), who tasted defeat for the first time in her career in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. July 8, atoned for that effort in no uncertain terms with a powerful two-length victory over her previously unbeaten stablemate Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}) in Saturday's GII Lake Placid S. at Saratoga. Soviet Excess (Uncle Mo) charged home late to deny a Chad Brown 1-2-3 sweep, finishing just ahead of favored Tax Implications (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}).

Drawn beautifully in gate two, Aspray bounced away in good order and secured the ideal position in transit, riding the rails as Heavenly Sunset (Candy Ride {Arg}) led from Gloria's Princess (Cairo Prince) at an even gallop. Traveling sweetly beneath Flavien Prat for the run into the final half-mile, Aspray was waited with nearing the quarter pole, popped off the inside and into the three-wide line to deliver her challenge in upper stretch. The homebred quickly put the pacesetters to the sword with about a furlong and a half to race, pinched a winning break and was never in any sort of danger. Surge Capacity appeared to take an awkward stride or two in a bit tight down the backstretch, but had a clear shot at the winner in the stretch and just couldn't reel her in.

Victorious in an off-turf maiden on Tampa debut Jan. 14, Aspray followed up with a facile 2 1/2-length success trying the grass for the first time in Oldsmar Mar. 22. With Prat in the boot for the first time, the bay made up a double-digit deficit with a wide rally to take out the May 19 Hilltop S. at Pimlico and was wide on both turns last time in the 10-furlong Oaks, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind European raider Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) in fourth.

“[Aspray relished the] cutback in distance and she really appreciated the ground today, too,” said Brown, winning his fifth Lake Placid in the last seven years and third straight. “She didn't mind a little cut in the ground. She worked out a beautiful trip from that inside post. Flavien [Prat] really took advantage of that.

“I trained her a little too far last time, but you had to try since it was such a prestigious race we were pointing towards. I thought she could do it. Flavien [Prat] knows the horse so well, he came back after the race and he was adamant about the race being a little too far for her and that we should cut her back in distance to 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles and we'll be fine. He was right.”

Brown indicated that Aspray would likely make her next start in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland over nine panels in October, an event he won last year with Gina Romantica (Into Mischief).

Pedigree Notes:

Aspray is a 35th worldwide winner at the group/graded level for Lane's End's Quality Road and is bred on the exact same cross as Cairo (Ire), a Group 3 winner last season at two in Ireland and most recently runner-up to Paddington (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas in May. Aspray is the 164th GSW worldwide out of a daughter of the late Galileo.

Aspray's dam was raced by the Coolmore partners, finishing runner-up to Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in 2012 before returning to Ireland to win the G3 Dance Design S. and G2 Blandford S. Robert Naify and Jan Vandebos's Ran Jan Racing paid a sales-topping $2.2 million for Up, in foal to War Front, at the 2015 Keeneland January Sale.

The mare, a half-sister to Group 1-winning juvenile and Cheveley Park sire Dutch Art (GB) (Medicean {GB}), has proven a commercial success and her offspring have done their part at the races. Her foal of 2017, Monarch of Egypt, became the first winner and 'TDN Rising Star' for American Pharoah and went on to be second in the 2019 G1 Phoenix S. for the Coolmore partners. He was later sold to Hong Kong interests, was unplaced in the 2021 BMW Hong Kong Derby and is now conditioned by the Hayes brothers in Victoria, Australia, where he won in handicap company in May. Khartoum (Pioneerof the Nile), a $1-million KEESEP grad in 2019, was Group 3-placed for Coolmore in Ireland and was sold to continue his career in Saudi Arabia, where he was an 8 1/2-length winner in allowance company at King Khalid Racecourse in Ta'if Aug. 4.

Up's yearling Medaglia d'Oro filly is cataloged as hip 384 to the upcoming Keeneland September Sale. She was among the first book of mares bred to Flightline this season.

Saturday, Saratoga
LAKE PLACID S.-GII, $200,000, Saratoga, 8-19, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:42.85, gd.
1–ASPRAY, 120, f, 3, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Up (Ire) (MGSW-Ire, G1SP-Fr, $379,468),
                                by Galileo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Halland Park Lass (Ire), by Spectrum (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Palacegate Episode (Ire), by Drumalis (Ire)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Ran Jan Racing, Inc. (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $110,000. Lifetime Record:
5-4-0-0, $226,210. *1/2 to Monarch of Egypt (American
Pharoah), G1SP-Ire, GSP-Eng, $268,084. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Surge Capacity, 122, f, 3, Flintshire (GB)–Strong Incentive, by
Warrior's Reward. O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad C.
Brown. $40,000.
3–Soviet Excess, 118, f, 3, Uncle Mo–Westit (GB), by Tapit.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer Et Frere (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $24,000.
Margins: 2, HD, NK. Odds: 3.35, 4.20, 28.25.
Also Ran: Tax Implications (GB), Prerequisite, Gloria's Princess, Heavenly Sunday, Junipermarshmallow. Scratched: Leave No Trace, Undervalued Asset.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Sunday’s Racing Insights: Pricey Munnings Filly Spa Debut

5th-SAR, $136K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:27 p.m.
MUNNY ROCKETTE (Munnings) sold to Champion Equine for $450,000 as a yearling at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and went for $1-million when Donato Lanni signed the ticket for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations on the final day of this year's OBS March Sale. Trained by Bill Mott and with Junior Alvarado in the irons, the bay filly's second dam is a half sister to GI Test S. and GI Ballerina H. winner Chaposa Springs (Baldski) and GI Met Mile champ You and I (Kris S.)

Also looking to make her mark first time out, Catherine Wheel (Into Mischief) is an OBS April alum who fetched $725,000. She hails from an extended female family which includes GI Belmont S. winners Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Arcangelo (Arrogate). Joining this pair is Ella Elizabeth (Take Charge Indy), who sold to Gus King for $510,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Old Sale. A full sister to GSW and MGSP Take Charge Paula, the Chad Brown trainee gets the services of Joel Rosario. TJCIS PPS

5th-ELP, $70K, Msw, 2yo, f, 5 1/2fT, 4:37 p.m.
Heading to the Pea Patch, $675,000 OBS April grad Blitz (Uncle Mo) debuts for Gary Barber and DJ Stable. The dark bay filly, out of GSW Customer Base (Lemon Drop Kid), is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Cristian Torres. She drilled :48.00 Aug. 5 at Ellis (4f, 7/49) in preparation for this start.

Also entered is Movin' On Up (Accelerate), who is a well-connected Harvey Clarke Racing Stables homebred. Trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Martin Garcia, the gray filly is the first offspring out of Stifle Yourself (Cairo Prince). Second dam Gloria S. (Tapit) produced GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) and she counts GI Kentucky Derby victor I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) and MGSW Golden Award (Medaglia d'Oro) as half siblings. TJCIS PPS

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Full Field of 17 Slated for Historic King’s Plate

A total of 17 sophomores–including Woodbine Oaks heroine Elysian Field (Hard Spun) and U.S.-based Kalik (Collected)-have signed on to contest Sunday's King's Plate, the initial jewel in the OLG Canadian Triple Crown. Held at Woodbine's Trackside Clubhouse, Wednesday's King's Plate breakfast was highlighted by the post-position draw, which was co-hosted by Woodbine TV personality Jeff Bratt and Woodbine track announcer Robert Geller.

Being run for the 164th time, making it North America's oldest continually run race, the 1 1/4-mile test will be contested as the King's Plate for the first time since 1951.

Favored in the morning line at 3-1 is the Chad Brown-trained Kalik, owned by Robert LaPenta, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables LLC. The partnership also campaigns Moon Landing (Nyquist), who drew post 17 for trainer Kevin Attard and is 20-1 on the morning line.

Kalik is a winner of three of six starts-all on the turf–highlighted by the June 3 GII Pennine Ridge S. at Belmont. The chestnut finished eighth in his latest start in the GI Belmont Derby July 8.

“With Chad, you know the horse will be in top condition coming into the Plate,” said jockey Kazushi Kimura, slated to ride the $200,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. “To be in The King's Plate is amazing. The race has so much history. You can feel the excitement building and I hope that we can say we won the first King's Plate since 1951. I know I have a big chance with this horse.”

Drawing the rail, Stanley House (Army Mule) broke his maiden at Gulfstream in March before finishing runner-up going 8 1/2 furlongs over Woodbine's Tapeta surface in May. Back in the winner's circle facing optional claimers, he finished sixth in the July 23 Plate Trial, won by Paramount Prince (Society's Chairman). The former, installed the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, will be ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

In addition to Paramount Prince (10-1, post 13), trainer Mark Casse will also be represented by Elysian Field (8-1, post 2). Patrick Husbands will partner the former, while Sahin Civaci will be aboard the filly.

“Coming into a race like this, some horses are thriving and getting better, and that would describe her,” said Casse, who won the 2014 Plate with Lexie Lou and the 2018 running with Wonder Gadot.

Sunday's card also features a trio of stakes: the 1 1/16-mile GII Dance Smartly S. (on the E.P. Taylor turf for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up); the Catch a Glimpse S. (fillies) and Soaring Free S. (colts). Both juvenile races will be contested on the E.P. Taylor turf over 6 1/2 furlongs.

First post for Sunday is 12:25 p.m. (ET), with the featured King's Plate scheduled as Race 10 (5:39 p.m. ET). The national Plate broadcast will be televised on TSN and CTV starting at 4:30 p.m.

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Pegasus Winner Goes For Virginia’s First ‘Million’

In the absence of Godolphin standout and GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the role of morning-line favorite for Saturday's feature at Virginia's Colonial Downs fell to GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational winner Atone (Into Mischief). A Godolphin-bred gelded son of leading sire Into Mischief, the Michael Maker trainee, owned by Three Diamonds Farm, put a career best 103 Beyer Speed Figure to take down Brazilian standout Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 28. He'll stretch out to 1 1/4 miles for the first time off a quartet of 1 1/8 mile races including a last-out fifth after just giving up the lead close to home in the GIII Dinner Party S. on the Preakness undercard May 20.

And while their bigger name might be out, Godolphin is still going for the repeat here with last year's Arlington Million winner Santin (Distorted Humor). In the Churchill Downs edition held at 1 1/8 miles, the 5-year-old led nearly gate-to-wire and soundly defeated GISW Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute). Racing for trainer Brendan Walsh, Santin will have to overcome the widest draw of the field from gate 11 and gets back on the turf after a pair of main-track races at Churchill and Ellis respectively resulting in back-to-back off-the-board finishes.

Never far from Grade I turf action, trainer Chad Brown brings a pair of entries in last year's GI United Nations S. winner Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) and GISW Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

And while Brad Cox may be more well known for his dirt horses, Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) will look to give his trainer another Grade I coming off a win in the GIII Arlington S. at Churchill two back June 3 and a narrow third in the GII Wise Dan S. last time out at Ellis July 1.

THE GIRLS GO FOR BREEDERS' CUP SLOT IN BEVERLY D.

With an all-expenses paid trip to the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf on the line, a field of seven fillies and mares duel on the Virginia turf in the 1 3/16-mile GI Beverly D. S.

Mark Casse's Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) leads the field from the rail draw and will look to continue her run of trifecta finishes since coming stateside last year. A two-time graded stakes winner at Woodbine, the 5-year-old trailed Whitebeam (GB) (Caravaggio) and MGISW In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) by just a half-length on the line in Saratoga's GI Diana S. July 15.

The Argentinian-bred Didia (Arg) (Orpen) had her seven-race win streak ended by Chad Brown's Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah) by just three-quarters of a length in Belmont's GI New York S. June 9. Prior to that, the 5-year-old earned Group 1 wins in her native country and took Churchill's GIII Modesty S. on the Kentucky Oaks undercard May 5 before contesting the New York. Racing for Merriebelle Stable and trainer Ignacio Correas, she is also the only member of the field with experience over Colonial's Secretariat turf course–winning both of her first two starts in the United States.

Peter Brant's Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) brought just over $1,000,000 at auction as a yearling at Keeneland September and her value increased exponentially after wining last season's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. A winner of two of her four turf starts for Chad Brown, she enters off a fourth–beaten just 1 1/4 lengths–in her seasonal debut in the GIII Eatontown at Monmouth Park June 17.

Silver Knott trains at Saratoga | Sarah Andrew

GODOLPHIN'S SILVER KNOTT TAKES ON NAGIRROC IN SECRETARIAT

While Rebel's Romance may not have made the trip, Godolphin is still well-represented in Saturday's action with Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who will contest the first of the three graded stakes at Colonial in the GII Secretariat S. A Group 3 winner in England, the Charlie Appleby trainee missed Grade I glory by just a nose to Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

A further 2 1/4 lengths behind that pair, Nagirroc (Lea) has never been off the board in his eight career starts for Graham Motion and owners Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and William Strauss. A winner two back in the James W. Murphy S. at Pimlico on Preakness Day, the colt was a narrow third last time out in Belmont's GIII Manila S. July 7.

Another Manila starter and an early-season Triple Crown trail colt, Spendthrift's Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro) has seen much success since switching to the turf for nearly all of his 3-year-old season. A three-time graded stakes winner, he finished second behind the recently-retired Two Phil's (Hard Spun) in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks S. at Turfway Mar. 25 and came right back to win the GII Penn Mile two starts back June 2.

SARATOGA'S FOURSTARDAVE IS 'WAYI' OPPORTUNITY

Keeping to the grass but moving north to New York, a field of seven accomplished older horses vie for a slot in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile with Saturday's GI Fourstardave H.

Already the earner of over $2 million, Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) took last year's rendition of this race and started this year off strong with a loss by a just a head in Saudi Arabia's G3 1351 Turf Sprint Feb. 25. Third in the GI Jaipur S., a race he also won last year, the Bill Mott trainee took the GIII Kelso S. at Saratoga in preparation for this spot. A true war horse, this is his fourth straight attempt at the Fourstardave.

Todd Pletcher's 'TDN Rising Star' Annapolis (War Front), a Grade I winner as a 3-year-old, has missed the trifecta only once his entire career and began his season with a win in the Opening Verse S. at Churchill before just failing to reel in Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) in the GIII Kelso S. last month at Saratoga.

Another Pletcher runner, 'Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready) races for Siena Farm and WinStar Farm and posted a victory last time out in the GIII Poker S. at Belmont Park June 10. He's raced exclusively on the turf since a third in last year's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. The 100 Beyer Speed Figure he put up in the Poker S. is a career best.

2-YEAR-OLDS TACKLE THE SARATOGA SPECIAL

A plethora of maiden winners make the jump into graded-stakes company Saturday in the 6 1/2-furlong GII Herb Moelis Memorial Saratoga Special S.

Courtlandt Farms has 'TDN Rising Star' Edified (Tapit) here for trainer Steve Asmussen. The Summer Wind Equine-bred, the $650,000 Keeneland September yearling, rolled by 3 1/2 lengths in his Ellis Park debut July 1 under Joel Rosario, who retains the ride here.

Norm Casse jumps Rhyme Schemes (Ghostzapper) up in class after he broke his maiden in dominating fashion in his second career start, wiring an Ellis field by 9 1/2 lengths June 15 as an 8-1 shot. With Ricardo Santana Jr. still aboard, the chestnut keeps the blinkers on and looks to improve upon the impressive 94 Beyer Speed Figure he put up in that maiden race.

Haul (Army Mule), racing for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and St. Elias Stables, went for $260,000 at this year's OBS April sale and immediately rewarded his connections with a three-length debut win as the favorite at Belmont July 9.

Rhyme Schemes (outside) | Sarah Andrew

WEST COAST FILLIES GO IN THE SORRENTO

2-year-old fillies make the grade at Del Mar Saturday in the GIII Sorrento S. Bob Baffert saddles Dua (Arrogate) for Zedan Racing Stables, the same connections who picked up the sale-topping son of Curlin at Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The $400,000 Fasig-Tipton July yearling won her Del Mar debut by a half-length July 22.

City of Light picked up his first 'TDN Rising Star' with Benedetta who flew home by three lengths for trainer Simon Callaghan and owner Kaleem Shah at Los Alamitos July 8. The bay brought $750,000 at the OBS March sale and put in a near-bullet work at Del Mar Aug. 5 going four furlongs in :47 1/5 (3/82).

Already a stakes winner in her first start, Dreamfyre (Flameaway) has helped put her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy) on the map with a near gate-to-wire performance in Pleasanton's Everett Nevin S.

YELLOW RIBBON HOSTS ON THE TURF

Finishing out the evening on the West Coast, fillies and mares tackle the GII Yellow Ribbon S. at Del Mar going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The race is led by the Harris Farm-homebred Closing Remarks (Vronsky) who breaks from the rail and has contested exclusively graded-stakes company since a third in last year's GII Buena Vista S. Grade I-placed in the 2021 GI Del Mar Oaks, the 5-year-old mare was sixth last time out in the GI Gamely S. at Santa Anita May 29.

Also in that Gamely S., School Dance (Animal Kingdom) checked in just behind Closing Remarks in last year's GII Royal Heroine S. and just missed by a head in the GI American Oaks.

Bob Baffert can never be counted out, even on the turf, and he brings in Ganadora (Quality Road) here. The 4-year-old sold for $1,000,000 as a yearling at Keeneland in 2020 and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' for her 6 1/2-length debut win at Santa Anita last year. She did her best running in last year's Dark Mirage S. but also just missed by a nose in this season's GIII La Canada S. Jan. 15.

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