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Brown, Irad Ortiz Jr., Klaravich Stables Win Belmont Park Meet Titles

Chad Brown notched 23 wins to finish as the leading trainer at the Belmont spring/summer meet for the fifth consecutive time and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. posted 34 victories to lead all riders as the 25-day meet concluded on Sunday at Belmont Park. The meet ran from June 3 to July 12.

Klaravich Stables led all owners with 13 wins, outpacing second-place finisher Michael Dubb, who had seven victories.

Brown has been the top trainer at the Belmont spring/summer meet every year since 2016. He recorded a 23-19-8 ledger in 95 starts for his latest triumph, besting Christophe Clement [14 wins].

The spring/summer meet kicked off on June 3 marking the return of professional sports in New York, and also saw the return of live racing for the New York Racing Association, Inc, which temporarily suspended racing in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I'm really proud of our team. We had a late start to the year and it was frustrating for everybody – the staff, the owners, everybody involved,” Brown said. “Our team held it together. We had to change plans with several horses. We had to change plans with living arrangements for people on our team. Everyone had to make sacrifices and alter their life – and that's not just our stable, that's other stables, racetrack management and all around in other industries.”

NYRA's year-ending leading trainer five years running, Brown conditioned five graded stakes-winners at the spring/summer meet, starting with Rushing Fall in the Grade 3 Beaugay on June 3 and continuing with the two wins on the same day with Instilled Regard [Grade 2 Fort Marcy] and Newspaperofrecord [Grade 3 Intercontinental] on June 6. Newspaperofrecord, coming off an 11-month layoff, wheeled back three weeks later to capture the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 27.

Brown trainees ran 1-2 in the Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan, with Instilled Regard edging stablemate Rockemperor on July 4 on Runhappy Met Mile Day.

“The Grade 1 wins stand out,” Brown said. “It was an exciting finish for two of our horses in the Manhattan and then Newspaperofrecord coming back and being able to regain her Grade 1 form are highlights of the meet. It's good momentum heading into Saratoga that we're starting to creep towards normalcy and running lots of horses on the big days and being competitive. We're going into Saratoga with good morale after a very difficult first half of 2020 for everybody.”

Ortiz Jr. was the leading rider for the second time in the last three spring/summer meets, compiling a 34-23-13 record in 128 mounts, winning at more than a 26 percent clip. He teamed with Brown for four of his five graded stakes victories of the meet, piloting Newspaperofrecord to both of his graded stakes wins and Instilled Regard to triumphs in both the Grade 3 Intercontinental and Grade 1 Manhattan.

Besides his success with Brown, Ortiz Jr. also earned a winner's circle trip for trainer Kelly Breen when he guided Firenze Fire to victory in the Grade 2 True North on June 27.

“It's good. I've been working so hard, and we've had support from everyone,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “Instilled Regard and 'Newspaper' and Firenze Fire were all good wins. We're just looking to keep going and keep moving forward in Saratoga.”

Ortiz Jr. has finished as NYRA's year-end leading jockey in 2014, 2015 and 2017. He has won the last two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey for the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. His brother, Jose Ortiz, won three races on Sunday to finish in second with 32 wins on the meet.

“I've done well in the spring here. I'm thankful to all the trainers and the owners,” Ortiz Jr. said.

Klaravich Stables, which was the year-ending leading owner on the NYRA circuit in 2019, repeated as the top owner at the Belmont spring/summer meet. Headed by Seth Klarman, Klaravich Stables posted a 13-6-5 record with 32 starters for a 40.62 winning percentage, racking up $826,8855 in earnings.

Newspaperofrecord's connections encompassed all three respective meet leaders, with Klaravich Stables campaigning him in his two graded stakes wins of the meet.

Thoroughbred action moves to historic Saratoga Race Course for the 40-day summer meet from July 16 to September 7. Featuring 71 stakes worth $14.45 million, the meet will offer 39 graded stakes and 18 Grade 1s, highlighted by the 151st renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Runhappy Travers on August 8 and the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney on August 1.

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Casse Sends Out Pair Of Fillies For Spa’s Opening-Day Schuylerville

Stakes action at historic Saratoga Race Course kicks off with a field of eight 2-year-old fillies assembled for the 102nd running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Schuylerville on Thursday, Opening Day of the summer meet.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will send out John C. Oxley's impressive maiden winner Beautiful Memories, who romped by 10 lengths in her career debut on May 28 at Churchill Downs.

The homebred chestnut daughter of Hard Spun received encouragement coming out of the gate in her debut before taking command and extending her lead through every point of call, crossing the wire on cruise control under jockey Jose Ortiz in a final time of 58.05 seconds for the five-furlong sprint.

Casse said Beautiful Memories demonstrated potential from the start.

“We broke her and had her down at the training center all winter and she seemed special,” said Casse. “I told Mr. Oxley when I breezed her that she gave me chills and that doesn't happen often.”

Beautiful Memories, a Kentucky homebred, is out of the Sky Mesa broodmare Sky Dreamer who is a half-sister to turf Grade 1-winner Dream Dancing as well as graded stakes-placed Dream Maker.

Beautiful Memories has been training forwardly for Casse, working two bullets at Churchill Downs heading into Thursday, most recently registering a five-furlong drill in 59.20 on July 4.

Casse said he is hoping for another impressive performance from Beautiful Memories on Opening Day at Saratoga.

“You always want to see more than just one time,” said Casse. “She's come back and trained well and her last two works have been really good. It was not a shock to see her run the way she did first out. We're hoping for a similar performance, but we'll let her do the talking.”

Ortiz, who piloted Catherinethegreat to a 2018 Schuylerville victory for Oxley and Casse, will retain the mount aboard Beautiful Memories from post 3.

Casse also sends out Gary Barber's New York-bred Make Mischief, who won her debut as the favorite in a five-furlong maiden special weight against her Empire State-bred counterparts on June 18 at Belmont.

The bay daughter of Into Mischief tracked two lengths off the pace in her five-furlong career debut and was a bit green in the stretch but had enough to score a half-length triumph.

Bred by Avanti Stable, Make Mischief is out of the Speightstown broodmare Speightful Lady and was purchased for $285,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Yearling Sale last August.

Casse said he is looking for Make Mischief to step her game up a notch on Thursday.

“She's a horse we were high on this winter,” Casse said. “I thought her win was good, but I think she's better than what she showed, at least I'm hoping so. She'll have to come with a better performance.”

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will attempt a sixth Schuylerville triumph when piloting Make Mischief from the inside post.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen will saddle Hopeful Princess, who arrives off a three-quarter length maiden score at Churchill Downs. Owned by Stonestreet Farm, the dark bay filly gave highly regarded freshman stallion Not This Time his first winner when stalking the pace from second, battling down the stretch with a foe and eventually coming out on top while galloping out with authority on May 21 at Churchill, earning a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.

Bred in Kentucky by Elm Tree Farm, Hopeful Princess is out of the More Than Ready broodmare More Than Magic.

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. will pilot Hopeful Princess from post 8.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Sunny Isle Beach, who will exit post 5 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., will take a big step up in class for trainer Wesley Ward after displaying a victorious late kick on debut for a $75,000 tag on June 6 at Churchill.

The bay daughter of Jimmy Creed broke from the outside, where she laid mid pack early on, was caught seven wide at the top of the stretch but shifted to the inside of rivals down the lead to score a narrow victory.

“When you have a 2-year-old maiden winner you're halfway mandated to try stakes company so that's what we're doing here,” Ward said. “If you hit the board in a graded stakes race that's enshrined in their pedigree forever. We should be able to come from behind, so we'll sit back and ask Irad to be a cool-sitter and a go-getter, which is what he is. If there's a strong pace up front, then here we come.”

Bred in Kentucky by her owners and Dixiana Farm, Sunny Isle Beach is out of the Kitten's Joy broodmare Kathern's Kitten.

Completing the field are Hara [post 2, Tyler Gaffalione], Quinoa Tifah [post 4, Manny Franco], Queen Arella [post 6, Joel Rosario] and Dayoutoftheoffice [post 7, Junior Alvarado].

The Schuylerville is slated as Race 8 on Thursday's 10-race card, which offers a first post of 1:10 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Saratoga Race Course, and the best way to bet every race of the 40-day summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, NYRA Bets is currently offering a $200 new member bonus in addition to a host of special weekly offers. The NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Ashland Winner Speech Heading Back To California To Train For Kentucky Oaks

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables' Speech is scheduled to return to Del Mar on Monday following her three-length victory in Saturday's $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The victory earned Speech 100 qualifying points toward the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run Sept. 4 at Churchill Downs. Speech has 160 points and ranks second in points for the Oaks that is limited to the top 14 point earners to pass the entry box.

Speech gave trainer Michael McCarthy his first Keeneland stakes victory. McCarthy watched the victory from Del Mar, where an hour and a half later he won the third race.

“Justin Curran was deputizing on my behalf and was very pleased with them (Speech and third-place Toyota Blue Grass-G2 finisher Rushie) this morning,” McCarthy said via text.

Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie is scheduled on the Monday flight to Del Mar.

McCarthy now has eight weeks to get ready to return to Churchill, where he spent several meets as an assistant to Todd Pletcher before going out on his own.

“Most likely both will have a few works here at Del Mar before deciding on a Churchill Downs arrival date,” McCarthy said about Speech and Rushie.

Rushie is not Triple Crown nominated, and plans are uncertain for the colt, who has picked up 40 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the Run for the Roses on Sept. 5.

“Nothing is set in stone for Rushie,” McCarthy said. “There are plenty of options.”

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Ny Traffic Bound For Jersey’s Haskell After Sharp Gulfstream Drill

Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Ny Traffic and Tonalist's Shape tuned up for upcoming 3-year-old stakes engagements Sunday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Ny Traffic, who currently sits seventh in the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying-points standings, breezed five furlongs in 58.64 seconds, the fastest of 12 workouts recorded at the distance, for a likely start in the $1 million Haskell (G1) at Monmouth Park July 18.

“I worked him Monday last week, so he came back in six days. I wanted to get a good work into him and he worked super. He finished up really good. He ran the last quarter in 22-and-4 and galloped out strong,” Joseph said. “After that work today, I'd say we're probably going to run him in the Haskell, 95 percent sure.”

Ny Traffic, who is owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC, LC Racing and Paul Braverman, finished second, a length behind Maxfield in the May 23 Matt Winn (G3) at Churchill Downs last time out. The 3-year-old son of Cross Traffic previously finished second, 1 ½ lengths behind Wells Bayou in the Louisiana Derby (G2), and third in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds. In his first start for Joseph, the New York-bred colt scored a front-running 6 ¾-length romp in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Jan. 11.

Tonalist's Shape, who currently ranks seventh in qualifying points for the Sept. 4 Kentucky Oaks (G1), breezed five furlongs in 59.43 seconds, the third-fastest five-furlong work of the morning.

“Last week's work was a little quicker than ideal, so we just tried to slow her down a little. Once again, she worked super. We're very happy with where we are with her,” said Joseph, whose Oaks hopeful breezed a half-mile in 45.35 seconds a week earlier. “We still haven't decided. It'll be either the Ashland or the Coaching Club. We'll probably decide [Monday].”

The $300,000 Ashland (G1), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, is scheduled to be run next Saturday at Keeneland, while the $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) is scheduled to be run at 1 1/8 miles July 18 at Saratoga.

Tonalist's Shape is coming off a sharp 3 3/4-length victory in the May 15 Hollywood Wildcat, her first win around two turns, rebounding from her first career loss in the March 28 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). The Kentucky-bred filly had won her first five starts, including victories in the Forward Gal (G3) and the Davona Dale (G2) during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet at Gulfstream.

“She's in good form. She's holding good weight. She's happy and strong. We're happy with where we're at,” Joseph said.

Both Ny Traffic and Tonalist's Shape were ridden by assistant trainer Sabine Langvad Sunday.

“We're thankful to have her,” Joseph said. “She has a lot of passion for what she does, and that's what we need.”

Math Wizard, who gave Joseph his first Grade 1 success in last year's Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, breezed a half-mile in 49.14 in preparation for the $300,000 Monmouth Cup (G3) on the Haskell undercard.

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