Brown Wins Pair of Stakes on Belmont's Closing Weekend
{{monthName}} {{day}}, {{year}} {{hour12}}:{{minuteTwoDigit}}{{dayPeriod}}
Already boasting a pair of Breeders' Cup wins in this year's World Championships, trainer Chad Brown was represented by two stakes winners on Belmont Park's closing Saturday program as he wraps up his hold on the Fall Championship Meet training title, taking the Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler with Matrooh and the $100,000 Chelsey Flower with Ava's Kitten.
Shadwell Stable's Matrooh proved an able contender in the Bold Ruler, rebounding off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin, cutting back in distance for his first stakes win since joining Brown's barn earlier this year. Ridden by Abel Castellano, the 5-year-old Distorted Humor gelding sat off an early pace closing well to win by 1 ¾ lengths over Mylute.
"We threw out his last race," said Cherie DeVaux, Brown's assistant trainer. "He had to deal with a lot of kickback and got in a place he wasn't comfortable, maybe he didn't like the track. He had been training very well heading into this race and looked great. We were more confident today."
Now with five wins from 11 starts, the winner's share of the Bold Ruler purse nearly doubles Matrooh's lifetime earnings to $270,091. The winner completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.24, returning $10.60 for a $2 win wager.
Heaven's Runway, Green Gratto and even-money favorite El Kabeir, in his first race in more than six months, completed the order of finish. Vyjack was scratched.
Four races later, Ava's Kitten earned her first stakes victory in the fourth running of the $100,000 Chelsea Flower stakes for 2-years-old fillies. Breaking alertly from post 12 with Aaron Gryder aboard, the homebred daughter of Kitten's Joy for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey was forwardly placed and sat a comfortable third behind Chinchilla Dust and Wedding Dress, who led the field of 12 through opening fractions of 24.60 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and a half in 49.08.
Shadwell Stable's Matrooh proved an able contender in the Bold Ruler, rebounding off a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Philip Iselin, cutting back in distance for his first stakes win since joining Brown's barn earlier this year. Ridden by Abel Castellano, the 5-year-old Distorted Humor gelding sat off an early pace closing well to win by 1 ¾ lengths over Mylute.
"We threw out his last race," said Cherie DeVaux, Brown's assistant trainer. "He had to deal with a lot of kickback and got in a place he wasn't comfortable, maybe he didn't like the track. He had been training very well heading into this race and looked great. We were more confident today."
Now with five wins from 11 starts, the winner's share of the Bold Ruler purse nearly doubles Matrooh's lifetime earnings to $270,091. The winner completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.24, returning $10.60 for a $2 win wager.
Heaven's Runway, Green Gratto and even-money favorite El Kabeir, in his first race in more than six months, completed the order of finish. Vyjack was scratched.
Four races later, Ava's Kitten earned her first stakes victory in the fourth running of the $100,000 Chelsea Flower stakes for 2-years-old fillies. Breaking alertly from post 12 with Aaron Gryder aboard, the homebred daughter of Kitten's Joy for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey was forwardly placed and sat a comfortable third behind Chinchilla Dust and Wedding Dress, who led the field of 12 through opening fractions of 24.60 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and a half in 49.08.
At the quarter-pole, Ava's Kitten swung out from the rail and passed the leaders to extend away in the stretch and outlast a late drive from stablemate Llanita to secure the victory, completing the one-mile distance in 137.36.
"I had a great trip," said Gyder. "She stalked right on the outside. Even though she was aggressive, she was kind to me. At the top of the stretch, I thought I would try to open up and get the jump on them. She really finished up well. She's a nice filly with a great future. "
The victory boosted Ava Kitten's career earnings to $118,300 picking up her second career win from four starts.
"I thought [Aaron Gryder] rode Ava's Kitten great," said DeVaux. "He got her to settle down right behind the pace and it seemed to work for her."
Following Llanita was Enjoy Yourself, Width, Ponytail, Wedding Dress, Wild About Harry, Chinchilla Dust, Belvoir Bay, Silky Girl, and Celestial Sighting.
Source: NYRA Press Office
Source: NYRA Press Office
Read More
Last week I broke down the female sprint Eclipse race and explained why my vote goes to Kopion...
The Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs is a very competitive renewal of the...
Royal Spa , winner of the Grade 2 Locust Grove, is set to return to action next Thursday...
Grade 1 winner Nevada Beach looms large in Saturday’s Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes for 3-year-olds and up...
Citing "industry and economic headwinds," Woodbine Entertainment reorganized its personnel and laid off an undisclosed number of employees....