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Brown Eyes Canadian Classic Tests For Kalik, Big Brass Bed

Trainer Chad Brown has a pair of Canadian classics hopefuls in Robert V. LaPenta, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables' Kalik, last-out winner of the nine-furlong Pennine Ridge (G2) on the Belmont inner turf; and Peter Brant's Big Brass Bed, who finished a wide and troubled fourth Thursday in a 1 1/16-mile optional-claimer over the inner turf at Belmont Park.

Ontario-bred Kalik, by Collected and out of the Street Cry mare Coronation Street, will point to the $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) at 10 furlongs on turf for sophomores on July 8 ahead of an attempt at the $1-million King's Plate, a 10-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomores on August 20 at Woodbine Racetrack. The race is the first jewel in Canada's Triple Crown. Kalik could be joined in the Belmont Derby by Klaravich Stables' British-bred Redistricting.

Bred in Ontario by Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests and Anderson Farms, Kalik was off-the-board in his September debut over the Big A main track. The $200,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase has since made four starts over turf, graduating at third asking in March at Gulfstream Park ahead of an optional-claiming score in May here leading into his victorious stakes debut.

“As a 2-year-old last year we liked him and we were trying to figure out if he was dirt or turf,” Brown said of the talented chestnut named for the popular Bahamian beer. “He trained good on dirt early but it didn't work, so we put him onto the grass and he's really excelled.”

Ontario-bred Big Brass Bed, by Nyquist, graduated at second asking in May over the Monmouth Park turf. She is pointed to the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, a nine-furlong Tapeta test for Canadian-bred sophomore fillies on July 23 at Woodbine. The race is the first jewel in Canada's Triple Tiara for fillies.

“She got a bad trip and took a bad step in the stretch,” said Brown of the chestnut's last-out effort. “She's recovered OK and we'll just draw a line through it. The Woodbine Oaks will be next.”

Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms, Big Brass Bed is out of the Smart Strike mare Precision Farming. She was purchased for $175,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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Grade 1 Winner A Mo Reay Tops Fleur De Lis Field

Hunter Valley Farm's Grade I-winning filly A Mo Reay top eight fillies and mares entered in the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2) Saturday at Ellis Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Fleur de Lis was slated as Race 8 of 11 with a post time of 3:22 p.m. (CT). The fantastic program from Ellis Park is headlined by the $1-million Stephen Foster (G1). The other supporting stakes are the $400,000 Wise Dan (G2), the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), the $225,000 Kelly's Landing and the $225,000 Tepin. First post is 11:45 a.m.

Trained by Brad Cox, A Mo Reay achieved her greatest glory two starts ago in the Beholder Mile (G1) March 11 at Santa Anita. That victory followed up consecutive triumphs Bayakoa (G3) in February at Oaklawn Park and Pago Hop Dec. 31 at Fair Grounds. Overall, A Mo Reay sports a solid record of 13-5-1-3 with $728,275 in purse earnings. Jockey Flavien Prat will have the mount from post No. 6.

Other notable entrants in the Fleur de Lis include Stonestreet Stables' Grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl, Farfellow Farms' two-time stakes winner Moon Swag, and Kaleem Shah's multiple graded stakes-placed Bellamore.

The complete field for the Fleur de Lis from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Bellamore (Martin Garcia, Simon Callaghan)

2. Moon Swag (Luis Saez, Brendan Walsh)

3. Royal Take Charge (Cristian Torres, Al Stall Jr.)

4. Soul of an Angel (Luis Reyes, Gerald James)

5. Pauline's Pearl (Joel Rosario, Steve Asmussen)

6. A Mo Reay (Flavien Prat, Brad Cox)

7. Heartyconstitution (Tyler Gaffalione, Joe Sharp)

8. Music Street (Julien Leparoux, Whit Beckman)

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Veteran Set Piece Takes Aim On Second Wise Dan Win

Juddmonte's 7-year-old homebred Set Piece was victorious two years ago in the $400,000 Wise Dan Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and will attempt for a second score in Saturday's 34th edition of the 1 1/16-mile turf contest at Ellis Park.

The Wise Dan Stakes was carded as Race 9 of 11 with a post time of 3:55 p.m. (CT). Saturday's stellar Stephen Foster Day program features six stakes contests headlined by the $1 million Stephen Foster (G1) as Race 10. The other stakes events on the program are the $400,000 Fleur de Lis (G2), the $225,000 American Derby (Listed), the $225,000 Kelly's Landing (Listed) and the $225,000 Tepin.

Set Piece, trained by Brad Cox, arrived stateside in 2020 and has since been victorious in seven stakes contests including the 2021 Wise Dan. Set Piece's 2023 campaign began on May 4 at Churchill Downs when he finished third in the Opening Verse (Listed). One month later he returned in the $225,000 Arlington Stakes (G3) at the Louisville oval where he rallied from six lengths off the pace to beat Get Smokin by one length. Jockey Florent Geroux, who has ridden Set Piece in 14 of his 27 lifetime starts, will have the return call in the Wise Dan and break from post No. 8.

Get Smokin will attempt to avenge his Arlington defeat in the Wise Dan. Owned by Ironhorse Racing Stable, BlackRidge Stables, T-N-T Equine Holdings and Saratoga Seven Racing Partners, Six-year-old Get Smokin is a multiple graded stakes winner for trainer Mark Casse. Among the accolades on Get Smokin's resume includes victories in the Hill Prince (G2) and Tampa Bay Stakes (G3). Get Smokin will be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. from post 4.

The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer):

1. Harlan Estate (Declan Cannon, Whit Beckman)

2. Tut's Revenge (Francisco Arrieta, Shea Stuart)

3. Camp Hope (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek)

4. Get Smokin (Ricardo Santana Jr., Mark Casse)

5. Play Action Pass (Tyler Gaffaione, Robert Medina)

6. Kittansett (Cristian Torres, Paulo Lobo)

7. Cowboy Justice (GB) (James Graham, Conor Murphy)

8. Set Piece (GB) (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox)

9. Stitched (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Gregory Foley)

10. Hozier (Julien Leparoux, Rodolphe Brisset)

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World’s Best Racehorse: Equinox Rolls To Victory In ‘Win & You’re In’ Takarazuka Kinen

Overwhelming favorite Equinox, currently the top-rated horse in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, won this year's $3,628,000 Takarazuka Kinen (G1) Sunday at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan to extend his top-level winning streak to four, which includes the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Arima Kinen last year, and the Dubai Sheema Classic in March this year.

With the Takarazuka Kinen victory, Equinox earned an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $4-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) in November at Santa Anita through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

The Takarazuka Kinen, like the Arima Kinen, is a “Grand Prix” event, in which the runners are selected by an online fan poll–Equinox garnered the most votes and emphatically delivered on expectations. The 2022 Horse of the Year, Equinox also became the 16th horse to complete the Grand Prix double.

Breaking smoothly from stall five under Christophe Lemaire on Sunday, Equinox was eased back to second from last and continued to travel near the rear in the backstretch, saving his strength for the right time. The Kitasan Black colt gradually advanced turning the last two corners the widest, displayed a powerful turn of foot in the lane, passing his rivals one by one, and sustained his speed after taking the lead passing the 200-meter pole to hold off the strong challenge by Through Seven Seas and win by a neck.

Time for the 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) was 2:11.2 on turf rated as good to firm.

“Though we were unable get a good position toward the front due to the fast pace at the beginning, the horse was relaxed in the rear and I wasn't worried at all,” Lemaire said. “As the inner track condition was not so good, we made bid from the outside early and turned wide to the straight where he stretched really well. Hanshin's inner course is tricky, and Takarazuka Kinen is a difficult race to win even for champion horses, so I'm very happy that I was able to win the race with the No. 1 horse in the World's Best Racehorse Rankings. I realized again how strong he is. I hope to win more big races with him in autumn.”

Bred by Northern Farm, campaigned by Silk Racing Co. Ltd., and trained by Tetsuya Kimura, Equinox is out of the King Halo mare Chateau Blanche.

Through Seven Seas, 1oth choice at 55-1 odds in the 17-horse field, settled in the very rear with Kenichi Ikezoe in the saddle and steadily advanced position behind Equinox rounding the last corners. Though meeting traffic entering the lane, the 5-year-old Dream Journey mare weaved her way through the horses and closed in on Equinox with the fastest closing speed but was second-best.

Second choice at 8-1, Justin Palace, unhurried around 12th and traveling in front of the winner, closed in on the front-runners from the outer route after the third corner, dueled with Equinox at the top of the stretch and, although failing to keep up with the winner, sustained his late charge to secure third place just before the wire by a head.

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