Belmont Stakes: Hill Road faces challenges beyond tough field
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
It would mean the world to Chad Brown if he could win Saturday’s Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. It also is asking a lot, even for the winner of five Eclipse Awards as North America’s leading trainer.
Amo Racing USA’s Hill Road must overcome myriad obstacles, including the top three Kentucky Derby finishers in Sovereignty, Preakness victor Journalism and buzz horse Baeza, if he is to provide Brown with the triumph he covets.
Brown grew up in nearby Mechanicville, N.Y., and his passion for racing took root as a boy when his family made regular visits to the iconic track. The former understudy to Bobby Frankel has developed a strong local following since he became a trainer in 2007 with a determination to follow in the footsteps of his late Hall of Fame mentor.
Brown has two Preakness victories and is a perennial force at the Breeders’ Cup. The Kentucky Derby and Belmont have been maddeningly elusive, however. He thought last year might be his time to seize a rare opportunity when, because of the construction of a new Belmont Park, he saddled favored Sierra Leone for the first Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
His high hopes were dashed when the eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic victor stumbled at the start before rallying from far back with his customary late kick and settling for third.
At least on paper, Hill Road is not anywhere near Sierra Leone in ability and class.
Yes, Hill Road geared up for the Belmont by winning the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan, the traditional prep for the final leg of the Triple Crown, by three-quarters of a length. But he is listed at 10-1 on the morning line largely because of Brown and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., also a five-time Eclipse Award winner, more than because of anything he has accomplished.
The path to the Belmont has been anything but smooth for the bay son of Quality Road. He made his first two starts in Ireland and did not come under Brown’s care until after his third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for trainer Adrian Murray. Brown said Murray turned over the youngster to him in “fine condition,” but the colt still had to adjust to very different surroundings and a new program.
Hill Road made his first start for Brown when he took third in the March 8 Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Then it was on to the Wood Memorial (G2), New York’s last major Kentucky Derby prep.
Or not. Those plans were scuttled when the 3-year-old spiked a fever.
Hill Road faces two potentially significant challenges in the Belmont. He typically takes his time before finding his best stride. With Rodriguez and Crudo representing the only apparent early speed in the eight-horse field, that could be costly.
“It’s certainly a factor. This horse would prefer some pace in front of him,” Brown said. “We’ll have to see how it develops.”
Brown also will have to see whether Hill Road switches leads in the 1 1/4-mile contest, something he failed to do in the Peter Pan as part of an ongoing concern.
“It sort of comes with him,” Brown said. “Sometimes these things can be difficult to work on.”
On a positive note, Brown sees progress in Hill Road. “He seems to be, in the mornings, switching leads pretty well. Hopefully, it transfers to the afternoon.”
Brown’s ability to take a horse to ever-higher levels will be on display Saturday with Spirit of St Louis in the Manhattan (G1). The gelding made a good living against fellow New York-breds for much of his career before kicking it up a notch at age 6. He notched the first two Grade 1 victories of his career this year in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park and in the May 3 Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.
The concern with Spirit of St Louis revolves around whether he can handle the Manhattan’s demanding 1 3/16-mile distance.
“It’s definitely a question,” Brown acknowledged. “But it seems this year he’s run farther than I thought he would. He’s starting to run to his pedigree now, and his pedigree would say it’s fine.”
Brown is not troubled by the rainy weather forecast. “He handles all types of turf, soft, firm and everything in between,” he noted. “He’s doing pretty good.”
Brown's powerhouse barn will send out top contenders in Friday’s Bed o’ Roses (G2) with Ways and Means and in Saturday’s Pennine Ridge (G3) with Zulu Kingdom. Ways and Means boasts three victories with a runner-up effort in four starts at Saratoga. Zulu Kingdom, a winner of five of six lifetime starts, is a major player everywhere.
In the Ogden Phipps (G1) on Friday, Brown has Raging Sea and Randomized, who made their 2025 debut in the La Troienne (G1) with Raging Sea winning and Randomized in third. Randomized won the Ogden Phipps last year.
As for Sierra Leone, Brown confirmed that he is on target for the June 28 Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs, an early opportunity to secure an automatic, fees-paid berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.