Royal Charlotte ends Break Even’s streak in Prioress Stakes

Royal Charlotte bided her time behind undefeated Break Even, then did her best running with a furlong to go Saturday, tipping out to pass the odds-on favorite and win Saratoga’s Grade 2, $250,000 Prioress.

While Break Even had won all six of her career races and Royal Charlotte entered having missed the board in the Test (G1), a cutback from seven to six furlongs found the winner going a distance over which she came into the race 3-for-3.

Also a previous Grade 3 winner, Royal Charlotte, a Chad Brown-trained daughter of Cairo Prince, finished up in 1:09.45 under jockey Javier Castellano.

"She didn't do any running in the Test, but she wasn't handling the track that day," Brown said. "I just had noticed that the past couple of weeks the track has changed in the morning, and I think it might just be the climate."

So rather than wait until Keeneland's fall meet, Brown took another shot with Royal Charlotte in the Prioress.

"She looks like she's a much different horse going six or six and a half (furlongs), and Javier really rode a patient race and the pace helped us," the trainer said.

Break Even held on for second with Risky Mandate third in the field of five on the Woodward Stakes (G1) undercard.

Off at 9-2, Royal Charlotte returned $11 to win.

Break Even broke well, going out to set fractions of 21.87 and 44.76 seconds. Royal Charlotte, who was last at one point in a compact field up the back stretch, advanced through the turn and followed the leader into the stretch, looking boxed in for a moment.

But Royal Charlotte began gobbling up ground in the final furlong, with Break Even offering little excuse in defeat.

"The way the race developed was great," said Castellano, who rode Royal Charlotte. "It was a small field and they all grouped up together and we sat behind them and it paid off today.

"They went pretty quick, and that's what I expected. I just wanted to ride patient and keep track of my target, Break Even. That was the horse to beat. I just followed every single step of the way and ran them down from the top of the stretch."

Brown said Keeneland's Oct. 19 Raven Run (G2) is a "logical move" for Royal Charlott's next race.