Chad Brown | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dolce Zel Can Give Brown First Valley View

Hard though it may be to believe, a 3-year-old filly trained by Chad Brown has never won the GIII Rubicon Valley View S. at Keeneland, but Dolce Zel (Fr) (Zelzal {Fr}) appears to be equipped to be the one to get the conditioner on the board Friday afternoon.

Winner of the GIII Florida Oaks in her U.S. debut in March, the bay was runner-up to future GISW Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) in this track's course-and-distance GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9 and got a bit of a freshening following a third in Churchill's GIII Edgewood S. May 6. Back to winning ways in the GII Lake George S. at Saratoga July 22, Dolce Zel and five others were undressed by front-running stablemate Haughty (Empire Maker) in the GII Lake Placid S. Aug. 20 and settled for second. Irad Ortiz, Jr., the only rider she's known in this country, is back in the irons.

California Angel (California Chrome) caused a 17-1 upset in the GII Jessamine S. at this venue 54 weeks ago and is winless in six subsequent tries, though she has not run poorly. Runner-up in the Mar. 12 LaCombe Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds, the chestnut returned from a six-month vacation to be third in the Sept. 5 Dueling Grounds Oaks, whose runner-up Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returned to win the GII Sands Point S. at Aqueduct. She backs up on 13 days' rest, having been beaten just two lengths into fourth behind Dolce Zel's stablemate Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) in the GI QE II Cup.

Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) was among the best turf sprinters of her generation last season, with a victory in the GIII Matron S. The Shortleaf homebred proved she could handle a route of ground when taking out the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy over the Turfway all-weather in March and she was surely in need of the run when a weakening sixth in the 6 1/2-furlong Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13.

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Breeders’ Cup Workers Dominate Keeneland’s Worktab

The early-morning activity at racetracks across the country was ablaze Saturday, with horses targeting next month's Breeders' Cup races dominating the scene. Well represented at Keeneland, trainer Chad Brown had the bulk of his championship team working on both the main track and the turf.

“Everything went really, really well this morning, considering everything that was going on,” Brown said, referring to the volume of horses that featured 190 works on the main track. “They all did very well and they will have another work next week, but these were serious works today.”

Highlighting his dirt workers was Jack Christopher (Munnings), who worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 in company with GI Champagne S. winner Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) (video), could head to the GI Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint or the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Blazing Sevens is a candidate for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

On the turf, three-time Grade I winner Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) worked five furlongs in company with GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf candidate Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) in 1:01.40 (video). Domestic Spending, who made his most recent start in August of 2021, did not return to the work tab until this past August.

“He worked very, very well this morning and galloped out well,” Brown said of Domestic Spending, who is under consideration for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. “We'll see how he is in the morning and then have one more work.”

Other workers for Brown were: Search Results (Flatter) (Distaff), five furlongs in 1:02.60; Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) (Filly and Mare Sprint), five furlongs in 1:00.40; In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (Filly and Mare Turf), four furlongs on the turf in :49.80; Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) (Mile) and Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) (Filly and Mare Turf), four furlongs together on the turf in :49.20; Raging Sea (Curlin) (Juvenile Fillies) and I'm Very Busy (Cloud Computing) (Juvenile Turf), four furlongs together on the main track in :48.20; and Oxymore (Astern {Aus}) (Juvenile Turf), who worked a half-mile on the main track in :48.80 in company with multiple graded stakes-placed Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy).

Also working in Lexington Saturday, GI TVG.com Haskell S. winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 in company (video). It was the dark bay's second work since winning the GII Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs Oct. 1.

“It went great,” said jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the work. “Everything was smooth. We sat a few lengths off our company. He was dragging me to go and catch them. Going into the stretch, I just kind of gave him his head and let him finish up. He was well within himself, and he pulled up very happy. Everything seems to be going good right now. He's a very exciting horse. His resume speaks for itself. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity.”

Runner up in the 2020 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 94-1, Hot Rod Charlie finished fourth in last year's Classic at Del Mar.

“Charlie is absolutely bouncing around the barn cooling out,” Doug O'Neill's assistant Stephanie Murray said. “You would never guess that he just went out and worked in a minute. He's just on his toes and has really good energy.”

Also working for O'Neill, GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint candidate Sharp Aza Tack (Sharp Azteca) worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on the all-weather training track. The colt is coming off a second in the Sept. 8 Global Tote Juvenile Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs. On the main track for the West Coast-based trainer, Dirt Mile contender Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) worked in 1:00.40 for five furlongs in company; Filly and Mare Sprint candidate Awake at Midnyte (Nyquist) in a half-mile solo in :49.40; and Juvenile Fillies candidate Vegas Magic (Good Magic) in 1:00.20 for five furlongs.

“Everybody went super good,” Murray said. “Everything went according to plan. They will all work again next Saturday (Oct. 29).”

O'Neill is scheduled to arrive at Keeneland on Friday.

Also on Saturday's worktab at Keeneland: Simplification (Not This Time) worked five furlongs in 1:00 in preparation for an expected start in the Dirt Mile. Also working for trainer Antonio Sano was Laurel Futurity winner Congruent (Tapit), who breezed five furlongs on the firm turf in 1:02.40. He is a candidate for the Juvenile Turf or the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Trainer Jorge Delgado sent his two Breeders' Cup hopefuls out Saturday, with Sprint hopeful Willy Boi (Uncaptured) working a half-mile in :49.80 and Juvenile runner Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew) working a half-mile in :49.80. GI Frizette runner-up You're My Girl (Overanalyze) worked six panels in 1:13.60 with John Velazquez up for trainer John Terranova. She is a candidate for the Juvenile Fillies. Working on the turf, Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) covered three furlongs in :39.40 for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

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‘You Need To Zig When Others Are Zagging’ – Crow On First Trip To Arqana

American bloodstock agent Liz Crow, best known for sourcing GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winners Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) for 280,000gns and British Idiom (Flashback) for $40,000, Jack Christopher (Munnings) for $135,000 and the mighty Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) for $100,000, says that her first trip to Arqana October was a success after picking up four well-bred fillies this week.

Crow bought Aunt Pearl at Book 1 at Tattersalls in 2019 for 280,000gns but, in anticipation of a buoyant trade at Park Paddocks this year, opted to sidestep the sale that has served her so well in the past.

Instead, a maiden trip to Deauville for the October Sale was pencilled into the diary and, after leaving France confident that she secured value during a time when the price of well-bred yearlings have been skyrocketing, Crow insists that Arqana will be factored into plans for the foreseeable future.

She explained, “I really enjoyed the sale and I see us going back next year with more clients. I am trying to think outside of the box here. You need to think of ways to keep developing your business and go zig when others are zagging. This felt like that. It felt like an opportunity.”

Crow added, “I wanted to go to Goffs and Tattersalls but it was record sales and record prices there–it was just too tough. Our clients like to shop at the maximum $300,000 range.”

The influx of American buyers at Goffs and Tattersalls bidding to capitalise on the strength of the dollar may have been excellent news for vendors but the buyers found the going tough.

Revealing that she regretted the fact that she failed to pick any European-bred fillies to bring back to America this season, Crow made the late decision to travel to France and said she is confident that the trip will pay off in the long run.

She said, “I had heard that the Arqana October Sale was a little like the Fasig-Tipton October Sale in that it had a mixed bag of physicals and pedigrees but, if you did the work and were prepared to look at a lot of horses, you could find value.

“I regretted missing out on buying at Goffs and at Tatts so I was thinking if I want to get a few European pedigree fillies, maybe this is the way to do it.”

Crow added, “Freddy [Powell, chief executive at Arqana] was nice enough to accommodate myself and Lindsay Schultz. She's a young trainer who has got off to a fast start in America and she just wanted to experience it. We had never been to Arqana before and we really enjoyed it.

“Deauville is such a beautiful place, full of history and atmosphere. The October Sale was my kind of sale–lots of horses to dig through and a few nice physicals and prices where I felt we got value.

“Everything we bought was in the €160,000 to €170,000 range. That's great value to me because you still have to spend $20,000 to get them over to America. I felt I found value for my clients.”

Well-bred fillies were what Crow came to France for and that's exactly what she got. From a Siyouni (Fr) filly (lot 239) out of Montjeu (Ire) mare Cherriya (Fr) who has already produced two black-type performers, to a more stoutly-bred Waldgeist (GB) filly out of Deauville Shower (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is from the family of Eagle Rise (Ire) (Danehill) and Eye Of The Tiger (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), the pair amassing four Group 2 victories in Italy and Germany between themselves, Crow thinks she filled the brief.

All bar one of the four fillies she selected have been allocated trainers already and Crow says she is excited about the new recruits.

“We bought a Siyouni, whose yearlings average €400,000, but we bought a filly by him for €170,000. She was really pretty.

“Siyouni has done really well in America and we had Etoile (Fr), who we sold, by him. I thought this filly had similar characteristics to Etoile but had some power and speed. That also reminded me of Aunt Pearl–that body shape.”

Crow added, “Almanzor (Fr) was a really interesting sire for me. We kept landing on a bunch of those and learned that he's in a 'wait and see' phase at the moment. I see he had a big winner [Rajapour (Ire)] on Wednesday. I liked a lot of his physicals and was able to buy one [lot 321] for Stuart Grant.

“Wootton Bassett (GB) is another sire who has done well in America so we looked at a lot of those and got out bid on several but I was happy to land one. That filly [97, signed for by Steven Rocco for €140,000] will go to Christophe Clement. The Siyouni will go to Chad Brown and is for Peter Brant.

“We also got a Waldgeist (GB) filly [260, signed for by NBS Stables for €160,000]. I had a client looking for a two-turn or three-turn type of filly and I thought that's what she was. She's going to be trained by Kelsey Danner. That's the group.”

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Into Mischief’s Gina Romantica Scores ‘Special’ Victory in QEII

Trainer Chad Brown and owner Peter Brant were represented by the 1-2 finishers in last week's GI First Lady S. at Keeneland, and were right back at it again in Lexington Saturday as Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) scored a breakthrough win in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. Presented by Dixiana. The $1,025,000 KEESEP yearling was the only runner in the race carrying Brant's silks, but Brown completed the exacta himself with Klaravich Stables, Inc.'s odds-on GISW McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}). It was a record fifth win for Brown in the race named for the U.K.'s recently departed monarch. California invader Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) completed the trifecta.

Saturday, Keeneland
QUEEN ELIZABETH II CHALLENGE CUP S. PRESENTED BY DIXIANA-GI, $569,125, Keeneland, 10-15, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.20, fm.
1–GINA ROMANTICA, 121, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Special Me, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Delta Danielle, by Lord Avie
                3rd Dam: Domasco Danielle, by Same Direction
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($1,025,000 Ylg
'20 KEESEP). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Machmer Hall, Carrie & Craig
Brogden (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $367,350.
Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0, $553,540. *1/2 to Special Forces
(Candy Ride {Arg}), MGSW-Can, SP-USA, $452,001; Gift Box
(Twirling Candy), GISW, $1,127,060; Stonetastic
(Mizzen Mast), MGSW & GISP, $856,062. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–McKulick (GB), 121, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Astrelle (Ire) (GSP-Eng), by Makfi (GB)
                2nd Dam: Miss Mariduff, by Hussonet
                3rd Dam: Sopran Mariduff (GB), by Persian Bold (Ire)
(180,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $98,750.
3–Bellabel (Ire), 121, f, 3, by Belardo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Fashion Line (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Shadow Roll (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Warning Shadows (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
(€33,000 Ylg '20 TATFB). O-Agave Racing Stable, Benowitz
Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig & Ray Pagano; B-Fergus
Cousins (Ire); T-Philip D'Amato. $49,375.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, HD. Odds: 4.53, 0.80, 3.33.
Also Ran: California Angel, She's Gone, Paris Peacock (Ire). Scratched: New Year's Eve.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Fastest from the blocks, Gina Romantica was taken back a bit by Flavien Prat to sit fourth in the field of six as last-out Irish Group 3 winner Paris Peacock (Ire) (Muharaar {GB}) had designs on making the lead. She snuck inside of McKulick and into the pocket down the backside, and remained in that spot through a half in :48.22 and six furlongs in 1:12.83. It briefly looked like Gina Romantica could run into traffic trouble as her stablemate took the overland route, but a seam opened behind the fading Paris Peacock and Bellabel in midstretch and Gina Romantica charged through it before pulling away decisively.

“She broke really well,” said Prat. “I actually was okay to make the lead, but the pace was fast so I got myself tucked in. She relaxed well and really kicked on well when it was time to make a move. [I knew it was time to make a move] once I got the gap [at the top of the stretch]. Turning for home I got a good gap and squeezed on in and she responded really well.”

A fast-finishing debut winner sprinting on the Tampa main track in March, Gina Romantica was a well-beaten sixth when wading into much tougher waters for this venue's GIII Beaumont S. a month later. She took a rained-off and sloppy first-level allowance in her first route try at Belmont in May, and remained on the dirt to be fourth in Saratoga's restricted Wilton S. July 14. The bay was a rare $30 turf winner for Brown when she upended the Riskaverse S. (also restricted) back at the Spa Aug. 25, and was most recently second at much shorter odds in BAQ's GIII Pebbles S. Sept. 18. The Brown barn sent out the top three that day–the winner was another Klaravich colorbearer, while the third finisher carried Brant greens.

“Getting her out there in distance a little more, and she has more experience on the turf,” said Brown when asked for the reasons behind Gina Romantica's incremental improvement. “She caught a clean break and I thought Flavien rode a terrific race. She proved she can get the extra distance and step up with top-class fillies.”

He added, “I want to thank Liz Crow and her team for picking the horse out. She was born and raised locally, right here in Lexington at Machmer Hall, and she's a Keeneland [sales] graduate. We've had so many great horses that we bought here. [Of our] five Queen Elizabeth [wins], this is probably the most memorable, obviously, with the recent passing of The Queen. What an honor even to participate in the race, but to have such success in it–we're just really lucky to work with these horses.”

Pedigree Notes:

Special Me (Unbridled's Song), who now has four graded winners to her tally, including Gina Romantica and additional GISW and Lane's End's first-crop weanling sire Gift Box (Twirling Candy), has been a truly special mare for Carrie and Craig Brogden's Machmer Hall (see The Bargain of a Lifetime and a related video, by Christie DeBernardis). Special Me slipped what would have been a 2020 foal by Quality Road and her 2021 foal by Curlin died, but she has a Feb. 26 weanling colt by Into Mischief–a full-brother to Gina Romantica–and was bred back to Twirling Candy for a full-sibling to Gift Box. Almost unbelievably, Machmer Hall picked up Special Me for $6,000 at the 2009 Keeneland January sale. The price of her offspring has steadily increased with her success, with Gina Romantica being the most recent to sell, bringing $1.025 million as a Keeneland September yearling from BSW/Crow.

Over the years, the Brogdens have publically expressed their long affinity for Unbridled's Song mares and it's hard to argue with a record of 214 black-type winners out of his daughters. Gina Romantica is one of four stakes winners out of an Unbridled's Song mare by Into Mischief, while another three (including champion Covfefe) are by his sire. Into Mischief, who is on track for his fourth general championship in North America, has 115 Northern Hemisphere-foaled black-type winners, including 23 thus far in 2022. Among his 55 graded winners are additional 2022 GISWs Life Is Good and Wonder Wheel, both pointing to the Breeders' Cup.

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