Belmont at Big A: Raging Sea, Scythian, Abientot win stakes

Alpha Delta Stables’ Kentucky homebred Raging Sea needed every bit of her trademark heart and grit to capture her third straight graded stakes in Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame Stakes at Belmont at the Big A.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, who also saddled third-place finisher Signal From Noise, said he was proud of Raging Sea’s toughness and ability to grind out the win in the 1 1/8-mile route for fillies and mares.

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“Her soundness and durability, getting her into the race, doing just fine,” Brown said. “Traveling good, (we knew) she’s going to show up.”

Dispatched as the 1-9 favorite from post 4 in the field of six for the 86th running of the Beldame, Raging Sea had her head turned when the gate opened, and she bobbled at the break to get away last under Flavien Prat.

“She can be a little tense in there, so sometimes she’ll break very well and sometimes a bit slower,” Prat said. 

Once she settled into her stride, she raced wide near the back of the pack while a rank Majestic Creed took them through pedestrian splits of 23.98 seconds, 48.31, 1:13.34, and 1:37.88. Raging Sea was tipped out in the far turn and was four wide in the upper stretch to begin her strong rally. 

Although she was in front at the eighth pole, she encountered strong resistance to her inside from a determined and quick closing Batucada, who engaged Raging Sea at the sixteenth pole before the two fought a fully-extended and spirited battle to the wire. Raging Sea got the best of it, winning by a head with a final time of 1:50.41 on the fast track. Signal From Noise was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Rounding out the order of finish were Frosty O Toole, Majestic Creed, and Libban, who was eased in the stretch and walked off under her own power.

“It’s always better to get a target and once she gets that target, she tends to stay with it,” Prat said. “As long as she keeps her head in front, it’s fine. I took the lead by the three-sixteenths pole, but then she kind of waited on horses. I thought it was a good race and hopefully a good setup for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Brown pointed the 5-year-old daughter of Curlin and the Storm Cat mare Stormy Welcome to the Beldame as her final prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, where she is expected to once again meet reigning champion older dirt mare Idiomatic. In her last race Raging Sea upset Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga. She registered a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.

"I chose this race, because I thought there was a possibility she might bounce a bit off her last effort. It was just such a strong run up at Saratoga to run down a super horse (Idiomatic), and I thought she’d feel that race in her next one,” Brown said. “So I thought I’d maybe pick an easier spot for her. I think we saw a little bit of her hanging and waiting a little bit, which she has done in the past. I also think she felt that race at Saratoga late today. That was part of my reasoning for staying home and running in a much easier spot than the Spinster.

“The more I thought about it, I thought she’d feel that race from Saratoga and react a bit. I’m happy to get maybe a soft bounce out of the way off that race and hopefully circle back to that race at Saratoga if you’re going to go out West (to the Breeders’ Cup) and tackle the best.”

Raging Sea, owned by Jon Clay’s Alpha Delta Stables, has won six of her last seven races, including a score in the Shuvee (G2) in July at Saratoga. She improved her record to 12: 7-1-1.

Brown said he was pleased with the narrow score ahead of a potentially bigger task next month at Del Mar.

“I view it as I handicapped a bit of a bounce into this race, and I was relieved to sort of escape with a victory knowing that she felt her last race,” Brown said. “I’m confident with the four weeks I have and her not having to run a fast figure today that she’ll be able to again hopefully circle back to that Saratoga race. That race with the right pace setup is good enough to at least be competitive out there.”

The Kentucky-bred’s career earnings were boosted to $1,198,478 with the $137,500 winner’s share of the purse. She returned $2.20 for a $2 win bet.

Scythian survives turbulent Miss Grillo

Scythian took advantage of a heady ride by Júnior Alvarado to defeat 11 other 2-year-old fillies and win the $200,000 Miss Grillo (G2) and advance to the Breeders’ Cup.

The Miss Grillo was a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1, and the bay daughter of Tiz the Law earned an automatic invitation.

Nonetheless, the victory for Scythian, Larry Goichman's New York-homebred who is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, contained plenty of drama.

New York-bred Marvelous Madison, who also is a Goichman homebred but is trained by Brown, was in prime position entering the stretch after setting sensible fractions of 23.26, 48.71 and 1:13.47 under Manny Franco. Making just her second start after a Sept. 2 win at Saratoga in state-bred company, she bolted to the outside while coming out of the far turn and nearing the quarter pole. When she did, Brown-trained Lavender Disaster was forced to check under Irad Ortiz Jr., and Grace and Grit, who was ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, was part of the fracas. Marvelous Madison carried out the other two fillies to the widest part of the course, and all chances were lost to the trio.

Fortunately, all three kept their balance and remained on their feet. Grace and Grit was settled by Carmouche and able to finish, winding up 10th. Lavender Disaster, who appeared poised to make her move just before the incident was eased to the wire and wound up the last of the dozen fillies. Marvelous Madison also was eased, finishing 11th.

"My filly just bolted," Franco said.

There was a stewards inquiry that ended with no change to the order of finish.

Scythian, who was stalking the pace on the inside and therefore was able to avoid the trouble, inherited the lead in the upper stretch under urging by Alvarado and drew off along the rail to win by 2 1/2 lengths with a final time of 1:42.68 on the firm footing. Virgin Colada, the other of Brown’s three runners in the field, closed from deep to finish second under Flavien Prat, a head in front of Correto.

“It was just bad luck. (Virgin Colada) was just out of position, and she just didn't really help Flavien get any position. It all opened up, and she was able to get second,” Brown said. “Lavender Disaster, what a disaster really for this horse (Marvelous Madison) bolting. There’s nothing I can do. ... I can’t believe she did that. She looked like a winner every step of the way, Lavender Disaster.”

Although Virgin Colada was not involved in the mishap and did manage to get second, Prat had far from an ideal experience aboard the Resolute Racing filly.

“I wasn’t very pleased with my trip down the backside. I just felt I was a bit too far. She didn’t break very well, and if you don’t break very well, you get shuffled back right away,” he said. “Those horses didn’t make the turn, and I find myself not far from the lead turning for home. She made a good run. I just couldn’t get by the winner.”

As displeased as Prat and Brown were, the connections of Scythian, who beat the boys in a state-bred maiden on Aug. 30 at Saratoga in her prior race, had reason to celebrate. 

“I was where I wanted to be. I got to save ground right away coming into the first turn, and the second turn I was still saving enough ground. If I had to go inside or outside, I knew I already had saved plenty for me to have enough horse at the end,” Alvarado said. “She ran great. She ran like we thought she would. She beat the boys last time, and she was 11-1 today. You don’t have to put me favorite, but I thought she was very live going against the fillies. Whatever happens, I still think she would be very tough. When I turned for home, she gave me a nice turn of foot. She won very impressively today."

Moreover, Scythian was able to avoid the misfortune that befell the other three fillies.

“I was just looking at Manny. Manny’s filly was looking like she wanted to bolt from past the three-eighths pole. So I was just trying to figure it out. I’ve got horse, where do I go? Is he going to pull her back inside, or is she going to bolt? Knowing I had plenty of horse to make my move whenever I wanted to, it gave me a chance to wait a little longer. When that happened, that's when I zoomed in the inside and she took off after that," he said.

Not only is Scythian now headed to the Breeders’ Cup, but the win also was the first for Mott at the current meet.

“We’ve had 10 seconds at the meet, five in stakes. It’s always good to win one of these,” Mott’s assistant Leana Willaford said. “She ran really well. Júnior gave her a perfect trip. He had horse anyways (even with the incident in the turn). He was in a perfect spot.”

The complete order of finish was Scythian, Virgin Colada, Correto, She's Got Will, Rare Art, Shifty, Annie Goodbody, Salt, Daisy Flyer, Grace and Grit, Marvelous Madison, and Lavender Disaster.

Scythian returned $24.20 for a $2 win bet and her record now stands at 3-2-1-0. She has now earned $177,500 after bringing home $110,000 from her Miss Grillo win.

Abientot wins by neck in Matron

Abientot waited until late to make a move, but jockey Dylan Davis pushed the button at the right time, allowing his charge to overtake three rivals from the far outside to secure the win by a neck in the $175,000 Matron (G3), a six-furlong, outer-turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

Abientot, who broke her maiden at second asking in July at Saratoga, made her third stakes start for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and notched her first win against elevated class with a stalking trip.

Flirting With Time led the full 12-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 21.58 seconds and the half in 44.48 over the firm going. Abientot, who broke from post 10 for owner Tracy Farmer, was near the rear of the field exiting the turn with a six-wide run, but the position allowed open daylight in front.

?The Not This Time filly had plenty in reserve under Davis’s encouragement, using the open outside lane to pick off competitors one by one and then overtaking Laurice, Yougottahavehope and Civetta in the shadow of the wire, completing the course in 1:08.31 for her second win in five career starts.

Civetta edged Yougottahavehope by a half-length for runner-up honors, and 2-1 favorite Will Not Be Swayed finished fourth. Laurice, Pop Idol, Baytown Butterfly, Miriam’s Fire, Flirting With Time, I’mwishingonastar, Serene Spirit and Second Chance completed the order of finish.

“She’s just tiny, and we’ve been able to bring her along since April,” said Shane Tripp, assistant to Casse. “She’s a barn favorite. The way she came home today was unbelievable, and Dylan has got to be one of the better riders on the planet right now. We’re blessed to have him in our life.”

“She ran great. Impressive race,” Davis said. “She just keeps putting up one better performance after another. I wanted to be involved and have a good break. I thought maybe mid-pack would be the best place to be. I broke her and came out with some intention, but they were just running her off her feet, so plan B, sit back. I tried to save as much ground as possible.”

Abientot, off at 5-1, paid $12.20 for a $2 win bet. After finishing third in the Untapable with a wide trip last month at Kentucky Downs, she made a triumphant return to Aqueduct, where she finished fourth in her debut in June. The victory improved her career earnings to $255,400.

“She has a lot of heart,” Tripp said. “She’s real gritty and honest. She trains real forwardly, and she’s good to be around. I didn’t think she’d come home like she did and that maybe we’d have a different result, but once he tipped her out and she went to running. ... I’m just tickled to death and happy for Tracy Farmer and Mark. They make it all happen and give us a job.”