Chad Brown’s Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls Work At Belmont Park

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown worked multiple Breeders' Cup contenders on a crisp and overcast Saturday morning at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Highly-regarded juvenile colt Jack Christopher breezed in preparation for the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

The talented Munnings chestnut covered five-eighths in 1:00.85 seconds in company with Grade 1 Frizette runner-up Gerrymander over a fast main track in his first major work since capturing the Grade 1 Champagne on October 9 at Belmont Park.

“He's trained brilliant since Day One and he continues to do so,” Brown said. “I'm very impressed with that horse every time he works.”

A victory in the Juvenile would provide Brown a second career win in the race after scoring in 2017 with maiden Good Magic, who finished second in that year's Champagne.

Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander, a 2-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, is possible for the one-mile $150,000 Tempted on November 5 at Belmont.

William S. Farish homebred Royal Flag, a 5-year-old Candy Ride mare, went a half-mile in :48.66 over Big Sandy in her first breeze since capturing the Grade 2 Beldame on October 10 at Belmont.

She will make her next start in the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 6.

Brown also sent a number of Breeders' Cup hopefuls to breeze over the firm inner turf Saturday, including Grade 1-winners Domestic Spending and Tribhuvan. Both horses are bound for the $4 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf and worked five furlongs in tandem in 1:01.55.

“They worked very well,” Brown said. “They were a good team together. I was very pleased with the work.”

Tribhuvan captured the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., two starts back en route to a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Invitational on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Domestic Spending will seek redemption following a second as the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Mister D [formerly the Arlington Million] at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. Owned by Klaravich Stables, the 4-year-old Kingman colt captured this year's Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont Park, following in the footsteps of 2019 Breeders' Cup Turf winner and Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, who also was trained by Brown and owned by Klaravich.

Newly minted Grade 1-winner Rockemperor registered his first move since taking the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic on October 9 at Belmont. The 5-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor recorded a solo half-mile in :50 flat and is on target for the Breeders' Cup Turf.

Peter Brant's graded stakes winner My Sister Nat breezed five furlongs in company with Juddmonte homebred Pocket Square in preparation for the 11-furlong $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

My Sister Nat, who defended her title in the Grade 3 Waya on October 3 at Belmont last out, is a half-sister to Sistercharlie who captured the 2018 Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs. My Sister Nat was third in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational on September 4 at Saratoga en route to her Waya score.

Brown said he has been highly impressed with Pocket Square since her triumph in the Grade 3 Athenia on September 25 at Belmont last out. The daughter of Night of Thunder notched her first stateside graded stakes triumph in the nine-furlong test coming off a sharp 4 ¼-length score in an optional claiming tilt at Saratoga.

“For right now, she's doing everything I'm asking her to do,” Brown said. “I really liked her work today and her gallop out. I would like to try her going that far. I know it's a huge step up in class, but I'm very, very pleased with how she's doing and I think she can get a piece of it.”

Klaravich Stables' Consumer Spending worked five furlongs in 1:02.25 in company with graded-stakes placed maiden Kinchen.

Consumer Spending, a gray or roan daughter of More Than Ready, is pointed to the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on November 5 following a victory in the Selima on October 2 at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

“She worked solid and galloped out strongly,” Brown said. “She's coming into the race that right way. It's a big step up but she's an improving horse.”

Peter Brant's Regal Glory [:51.11] and Juddmonte's Viadera [:51.10] breezed a half-mile in company. The pair of 5-year-old mares finished a respective second and sixth in the Grade 1 First Lady on October 9 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., last out and will target the $400,000 Grade 1 Matriarch on November 28 at Del Mar.

“They had their first work since the First Lady at Keeneland and it went well,” Brown said. “Both horses are targeting the Matriarch. That race will be the final career start for them both.”

Peter Brant's Blowout, who captured the Grade 1 First Lady last out, breezed a half-mile in :50.80 over the Keeneland turf Saturday morning and is “possible” for the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile.

“She's possible for the Breeders' Cup. If not, she'll go to the Matriarch as well,” Brown said.

Blowout finished a close second to Viadera in last year's Matriarch. Never worse than fourth in 14 lifetime starts, the consistent daughter of Dansili captured her 2021 debut in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile on May 2.

Brown said Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup one-two finishers Shantisara and Technical Analysis will get turned out at Payson Park in South Florida for the winter.

“They'll head down to our Payson Park division shortly when we get that open and they'll get a much deserved turnout,” Brown said. “Both horses will get a break and then target spring stakes. Probably both will have the [Grade 1] Jenny Wiley [at Keeneland] on their radar next year.”

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Shantisara, Technical Analysis In Good Shape After Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

It may have been a different week, but the upbeat sounds of success still reverberated at the Chad Brown barn.

Shantisara (IRE) and Technical Analysis (IRE) provided the barn with its second consecutive Grade 1 exacta sweep with their 1-2 finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup presented by Dixiana on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“Those are two nice fillies, and they are in good shape this morning,” said Baldo Hernandez, who is overseeing the Brown string at Keeneland. “They may be going back to New York tomorrow.”

Shantisara, owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Robert LaPenta, surged to a record-setting five-length victory over Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis.

The previous week, the Brown-trained duo of Blowout (GB) and Regal Glory ran 1-2 in the Grade 1 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare for owner Peter Brant.

Hernandez said Blowout and Regal Glory also would be heading back to New York with the Queen Elizabeth II runners.

Flavien Prat rode both Grade 1 winners with Jose Ortiz finishing second in both races. Prat will attempt to double up for Brown this afternoon at Woodbine when he rides Kalifornia Queen (GER) in the $600,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario.

Trainer Brad Cox was pleased with the third-place effort of Michael De Broglio's Burning Ambition in the filly's graded stakes debut.

“I have no idea what I am going to do with her next since there is obviously no turf racing in Kentucky for a while,” Cox said. “Possibly the ($300,000) American Oaks (G1 at 1¼ miles on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita).”

Eclipse Thoroughbreds and TOLO Thoroughbreds' Queen Goddess, who finished fifth in her stakes debut, will train at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., the next couple of weeks and then ship to California, trainer Michael McCarthy said via text.

Harris Farms' Closing Remarks, sixth on Saturday, was scheduled to return to trainer Carla Gaines' base at Santa Anita on Tuesday.

James Wigan's Cloudy Dawn (IRE), seventh in her U.S. debut for trainer William Haggas, was scheduled to ship back to Europe on Monday, according to head lad Suraj Bissessur.

Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Flippant is scheduled for a 2-3 month break following her eighth-place finish, according to Phil Oliver, husband of trainer Vicki Oliver.

Leaving for Europe today was Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith's Empress Josephine (IRE), who finished ninth as the favorite.

“The lack of cover early in the race didn't help her,” said Kieran Murphy, who has overseen the filly's training at Keeneland for Aidan O'Brien. “It was tough to come back that quick from what was a tough race last week for her (in the First Lady in which she was third).”

Murphy also said Katsumi Yoshida's Nicest (IRE), who finished fourth for trainer Donnacha O'Brien, would not be leaving Sunday with plans to be determined.

Charles Fipke's undefeated Lady Speightspeare, who was scratched at the starting gate prior to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, is scheduled to return to Woodbine on Monday.

“She's OK this morning. It's just disappointing to come all this way and not run,” said Ally Walker, assistant to trainer Roger Attfield. “She has a bit of a wild side, and yesterday she reared up four times in the gate and then tried to lay down.”

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Shantisara Wins Again, Gives Brown Another QE II Cup Victory

In her fourth American start, Shantisara (IRE) made it three wins in a row with her victory in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Under jockey Flavien Prat, the 3-year-old filly stalked the pace through the far turn and then poured on the speed in the stretch to win by five lengths.

In the starting gate for the G1 stakes, with the field of ten lined up and ready to go, Lady Speightspeare acted up, necessitating all ten horses be backed out as the fractious filly required a veterinarian's examination before being allowed to continue. Lady Speightspeare was a late scratch, reducing the field to nine.

They broke cleanly from the Keeneland gate, with Chad Brown trainee Technical Analysis taking the lead over the yielding turf course. Prat settled Shantisara in fourth around the first turn, improving to third down the backstretch. Around the final turn, with Technical Analysis still the front runner, Shantisara angled three-wide to find a running lane for her stretch bid.

In the Keeneland straight, Shantisara took over the lead from Technical Analysis early, easily drawing away from the field in the last furlong. Technical Analysis held on for second, Burning Ambition third. Nicest was fourth, with Queen Goddess, Closing Remarks, Cloudy Dawn, Flippant, and Emperess Josephine rounding out the order of finish.

The victory is trainer Chad Brown's fourth in the G1 stakes. He has also won with Dayatthespa (2012), Rushing Fall (2018), and Cambier Parc (2019).

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.86. Find this race's chart here.

Shantisara paid $7.00, $3.80, and $3.00. Technical Analysis paid $4.20 and $3.80. Burning Ambition paid $6.20.

“I expected her to run really well because (of) the way she breezed last time (5 furlongs in 1:03.40 over the turf at Keeneland a week earlier). She improves all the time. She's coming along. This filly, she has a really good talent. She handled the turf really well here,” Baldo Hernandez, assistant to Chad Brown, said after the race.

“It was a good run. I was really pleased with the draw (post 3), to be honest. I thought the good horses were around me, and I was able to keep tracking them. She made a really good move around the turn – she came really handy around the turn – and when I asked her to make a move she responded well,” Prat told the Keeneland Press Office after the G1 stakes. “She broke well and I was able to tuck her in right away and she switched off nice. I was traveling super and, like I said, when it was time to go, she was there for me.”

Bred in Ireland by Oliver Donlon, Shantisara is by Coulsty (IRE) out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana (IRE). The 3-year-old filly is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, and Robert LaPenta. She was consigned by Aguiar Bloodstock and sold to agent Federico Barberini for $13,171 at the 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale. With her win in the G2 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, Shantisara has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 9-5-2-0 and career earnings of $788,108.

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Chad Brown Duo Tops Field Of 10 For Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Klaravich Stables' two-time graded stakes winner Technical Analysis (IRE) and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta's Shantisara (IRE) headline a field of 10 3-year-old fillies entered Wednesday for Saturday's 38th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) Presented by Dixiana at Keeneland.

The 1 1/8-mile grass test will go as the eighth race on Saturday's 10-race program with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post Saturday is 1 p.m.

Chad Brown, who has saddled three winners of this race to match the feat of Jimmy Toner and John Veitch, trains both Technical Analysis and Shantisara.

A winner of four of six career starts, Technical Analysis enters Saturday's race off victories in the Lake Placid (G2) and Lake George (G3) at Saratoga. Technical Analysis will leave from post two and be ridden by Jose Ortiz.

Shantisara has won two of three starts since coming to North America, recording victories in the Pucker Up (G3) at Arlington and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at Belmont Park. Flavien Prat has the mount on Shantisara, who will exit post three.

Headlining the European contingent Saturday is Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Empress Josephine (IRE) for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

Empress Josephine is following in a trail blazed 10 years ago by Together (IRE) for the same connections. Together ran second in the First Lady (G1) and a week later closed her career with a victory in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.

Empress Josephine finished third in Saturday's First Lady under John Velazquez, who retains the mount and will break from post position four.

Velazquez has won the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup a record five times beginning in 1995 with Perfect Arc. His other winners are Alwajeeha (2008), Crown Queen (2014), Time and Motion (2016) and Cambier Parc (2019).

Also coming from Europe is James Wigan's Cloudy Dawn (IRE), winner of the Prix de Lieurey (G3) at Deauville, and Katsumi Yoshida's Nicest (IRE), most recently third in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks (G1). Brian Hernandez Jr. rides Cloudy Dawn from post nine. Julien Leparoux will be aboard Nicest from post five.

The field for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, with riders from the inside, is:

  1. Burning Ambition (Florent Geroux)
  2. Technical Analysis (IRE) (Ortiz)
  3. Shantisara (IRE) (Prat)
  4. Empress Josephine (IRE) (Velazquez)
  5. Nicest (IRE) (Leparoux)
  6. Queen Goddess (Tyler Gaffalione)
  7. Lady Speightspeare (Emma-Jayne Wilson)
  8. Flippant (Rafael Bejarano)
  9. Cloudy Dawn (IRE) (Hernandez Jr.)
  10. Closing Remarks (Umberto Rispoli).

All starters will carry 121 pounds.

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