Brown feels 'sense of relief' after historic Arlington Million day

Trainer Chad Brown enjoyed a remarkable day of racing on Saturday at Arlington Park, sweeping the final four races on the card, including Grade 1 scores in the Arlington Million, Beverly D. and Secretariat as well as a win in the Pucker Up (G3).

He called it "a great moment" shared with family at the Chicago-area track.

"My oldest daughter Ava came with me yesterday, so it was a great day for us and I'm so happy she was able to be a part of an historic day," Brown said Sunday. "There's a sense of relief, because me and my team put in a lot of time -- months -- preparing for it, and I'm just so proud of everyone on my team, and of course the horses, for how well it was executed."

Peter Brant's Sistercharlie kicked off the successful string of results with a rousing three-length score in the Beverly D. (G1) under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Racing near the back of the seven-horse field, Sistercharlie rallied three-wide down the lane overtaking pacesetter, and stablemate, Thais under Irad Ortiz, Jr., covering 1 3/16 miles on firm turf in 1:52.43. The result garnered a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 5-year-old Sistercharlie, last year's Eclipse Award winner as Champion Turf Female, now boasts a record of nine wins and three seconds from thirteen starts. 

"Johnny knows Sistercharlie so well," said Brown. "She got a nice, clean trip and Johnny timed it perfect once again. She delivered."

The lightly-raced Valid Point, owned by eFive Racing Thoroughbreds and Michael Ryan, earned his first Grade 1 win with a last-to-first one-length score in the one-mile Secretariat for 3-year-olds, besting Aidan O'Brien's Group 2 winner Van Beethoven. With Hall of Famer Javier Castellano up, Valid Point rallied four-wide down the lane drawing clear of The Last Zip while fending off the late bid of Van Beethoven. Valid Point matched his career-best 90 Beyer with the win while remaining perfect through three starts. 

Valid Point entered the Secretariat off a well-rated optional-claiming score, with Brown saying he was impressed with the Scat Daddy colt's first stakes performance.

"To jump him into a Grade 1 was a lot to ask, but he delivered," said Brown said. "I'm just so proud of his effort. He's an exciting horse moving forward."

Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar is perfect through six starts since returning to the races in December 2018 at Gulfstream Park. 

The 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway, a 10-time winner from 12 starts with more than $4.8 million in purse earnings, was sent to post as the prohibitive favorite in the Arlington Million (G1) under Ortiz, Jr. Settled in sixth position early in the 10-furlong turf test, Bricks and Mortar rallied into contention three wide and overtook pacesetter Bandua, while digging in gamely to fend off Magic Wand for a three-quarter length win that earned a 103 Beyer.

"He's had a remarkable year. Flawless," said Brown. "He's a very rare horse and we're lucky to have him. He's had an outstanding career."

Brown said he is not sure at this point if Bricks and Mortar will tackle the Breeders' Cup Turf, for which he earned a "Win and You're In" spot thanks to the Million victory.

"I'm not sure which direction we're going to go with him distance-wise," Brown said. "We'll get him back home and evaluate him and go from there."

In the Arlington nitecap, Brant's Cafe Americano rallied from 10th, some seven lengths off the pace, to score a going away with a 2 1/4-length score in the Pucker Up at nine furlongs on the turf. The 3-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro and Canadian champion Roxy Gap earned a career-best 88 Beyer while securing her first stakes win.

Cafe Americano endured a rough trip in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) on July 6 when sixth, and Brown said the filly showed determination to overcome the outside post in an 11-horse field on Saturday.

"She's lightly raced, and we threw her into the deep end of the pool a little bit in the Belmont Oaks. It didn't work out, so we regrouped into this race with a little distance cutback to a mile and an eighth," said Brown. "She had a difficult post and was out of position early, but she came with a really strong kick down the lane.

"I'm proud of her. She's another exciting horse moving forward with a big career ahead of her."