Chad Brown's 1st Whitney win tops 4-victory day at Saratoga

When surveying the extensive list of prestigious Saratoga victories compiled by trainer Chad Brown, few are missing from the five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner’s resume.

His list of accomplishments grew even longer on Saturday when Sierra Leone provided the native of nearby Mechanicville, N.Y., with his first victory in the Spa’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney.

The win provided reigning champion 3-year-old colt Sierra Leone with a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which he won last year over the Del Mar main track where it will be contested again this November.

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As meaningful as the win was for Brown, he was quick to credit the 4-year-old Gun Runner colt and speak to what a third Grade 1 win means for the future stallion prospect for owners Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith.

“He looks super today. I’m so happy for the horse. He’s starting to really prove his maturity and his special talents,” Brown said Sunday. “He’s always been consistent, and he always shows up, but I’m just so proud that he was able to win such a prestigious race.

“For me personally growing up around here, the Whitney has always been one of those races that really makes Saratoga what it is. You think of the Whitney and the Travers when you think about Saratoga,” Brown continued. “What an honor to win the race. I had horses for a short while for Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, and they were always so nice to me. I thought of them (Saturday) and what a warm reception it would have been for both of them to have given me that trophy having known both of them. My brother, my nephew, my parents, my two daughters were here on a picture-perfect day, and it all came together. Those are just very rare memories, and I’m lucky to be able to be a part of it.”

Sierra Leone notched the victory with his usual deep-closing tactics, tracking in last of nine under regular pilot Flavien Prat as stablemate Contrary Thinking sped away to challenge Mama’s Gold for the lead, the pair drawing off to mark splits of 23.82 and 47.07 seconds over the fast dirt.

The pacesetters gave way into the second turn, and Sierra Leone had plenty to do as he maneuvered through rivals to angle out seven wide into the stretch and set his sights on the favored Fierceness after three-quarters in 1:11.59. Highland Falls came with his run between Sierra Leone and the weakening Fierceness, but the champion had the superior momentum and edged clear of Highland Falls to win by one length in a final time of 1:48.92. He earned a 109 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form for the victory.

Brown admitted there were tense moments as Sierra Leone was still ninth at the three-quarters call.

“I was a little concerned around the half-mile to the three (eighths pole) because I thought he still had a lot to do,” Brown said. “This track can carry some horses sometimes and it gets a little quick. It had been playing fair, but I know it’s a tall order to make up a lot of ground in the stretch at Saratoga in a top race with good horses in front of you. When he passed the quarter pole, he was really coming underneath Flavien and when he found a seam, I was starting to feel a lot better about it.”

Sierra Leone made three previous starts at Saratoga, finishing second in last year's Jim Dandy (G2) and third in the Belmont Stakes and Travers (G1). Brown was not convinced that Sierra Leone disliked Saratoga and was proven right in the Whitney.

“It’s very rewarding. I always believed in the horse and I’m so happy for him that he was able to put to bed any doubters or nay-sayers about his overall quality or shortcomings and imperfections he might have,” Brown said. “Early in his career, he lost a couple races from not running straight and such, and the fact that he’s such a professional, polished racehorse right now. … I’m just so happy for him because that’s what he deserves and that’s what he is.”

With a third top-level score now on the colt’s perfect in-the-money resume, Brown said he has no qualms about bringing Sierra Leone back in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Aug. 31 at Saratoga as a springboard to the Classic.

“It’s still on the radar. I know he had a hard race, but he’s only run three times this year, and one thing I’m not going to do is be afraid to run him,” Brown said. “I’m not trying to protect anything like I’m scared to lose with the horse. My goal is to try and repeat in the Classic, and I have to do what’s best for that. I think what’s best for that is one more race.”

Brown, who has won 19 Breeders’ Cup events and two Preaknesses among 171 Grade 1s, has had more than his fair share of generational talent in his barn. Above all of that, there is one dark bay colt who stands tallest among all others who have stood in his barn.

“I’ve trained a lot of great horses, and to me, I’d say unequivocally he’s the best horse I’ve had my hands on,” Brown said. “I’ve had great horses on both surfaces and a lot of champions, but he’s just in a different league.”

The Whitney was the centerpiece of a banner day at the Spa for Brown, who also unleashed a pair of debut juvenile maiden winners in Capital Partner in race 2 and Ornellaia in race 6, and he sent out Peak Hype to a second-out graduation in Race 13.

Capital Partner, a son of Kingman, lunged at the start and was 8 3/4 lengths back in eighth-of-10 in the 1 1/16-mile turf maiden. But he showed a strong turn of foot under Prat to surge late and win by a half-length. He was awarded a 63 Beyer for the effort.

Ornellaia also overcame trouble at the start to carve out a similar trip when rallying from eighth of 10 in a six-furlong dirt maiden under Prat. The dark bay Girvin filly was still five lengths back in fifth at the stretch call, but she gained with every stride into the stretch to drive clear to a 2 1/4-length win. She earned a 72 Beyer for the effort.

Brown closed out the memorable day with one more trip to the winner’s circle, this time with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle as he guided sophomore Peak Hype from 10th of 12 and 6 3/4 lengths back in the 1 1/16-mile turf maiden to get up just in time with a five-wide move and score by a half-length versus elders. She earned the best Beyer of the three maiden winners with a 79.

Brown reflected that Saturday was a day to cherish.

“It was just an exciting day all around to have four winners on Whitney day,” Brown said. “I had several different clients have success (Saturday), and we have a lot to look forward to.”

Brown also sent out Intellect and Spirit of St Louis in the Fourstardave (G1) where they finished a respective second and eighth.

Intellect notched his third consecutive runner-up effort in a graded stakes, finishing 1 1/4 lengths behind Deterministic with a rallying trip engineered by Prat. He made contact with Spirit of St Louis when angling out in the stretch before finding his best stride belatedly and earning the minor awards.

“He ran a valiant second,” Brown said. “It was a very, very strong race for him with a deep field.”

New York-bred Spirit of St Louis tracked in fifth under Manny Franco and spun his wheels in the lane before checking behind Intellect and fading to eighth.

“They did brush a little there, and something’s been amiss the last two starts with this horse, but he looks phenomenal,” Brown said. “I will say, his best races are not at Saratoga. That said, he’s run better at Saratoga than his last two. Something went amiss there, so what we won’t do is run him at Saratoga again.” 

On Sunday, Brown sent out Grade 1 winners Excellent Truth and Dynamic Pricing to work five-eighths over the Oklahoma turf training track. Brown said Excellent Truth, last-out winner of the Diana (G1) on July 12 at Saratoga, is pointing to the E.P. Taylor (G1) on Aug. 16 at Woodbine, and plans for Dynamic Pricing, winner of the Just a Game (G1) on June 6 at the Spa, are to be determined.

“They did a little five-eighths on the turf, really outstanding,” Brown said. “Excellent Truth goes to the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine and Dynamic Pricing, I’m not sure yet. More of the same from Excellent Truth. She’s been a very consistent horse.”