Rushing Fall looks Grade 1-ready, winning Belmont's Beaugay Stakes
In her first start this season, front-running Rushing Fall shrugged off Got Stormy in the Belmont Park stretch for a comeback victory in opening Wednesday’s feature, the Grade 3, $100,000 Beaugay Stakes.
The 5-year-old mare, trained by Chad Brown for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, was decisive in victory under jockey Javier Castellano, coasting under the wire as Call Me Love rallied for second in a field of six.
The final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:40.71 after Rushing Fall opened up with fractions of 24.59 and 47.95 seconds.
"I give all the credit to Mr. Brown," Castellano said. "He told me in the paddock that he wanted me to be on the lead. I saw two horses that had speed, but he's the master. He knows what he's doing and he knows the horses so well. I just followed the instructions. He gave me the best instructions to win the race, and I rode the best horse in the race.
"I'm so happy she's back. Today, she was much the best and she proved that she belongs with the best Grade 1 fillies in the country."
The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner in 2017, Rushing Fall also owns Grade 1 scores in Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and Jenny Wiley Stakes, as well as Belmont Park’s Just a Game.
She was last seen missing the exacta for the only time in her career in last October’s First Lady (G1) at Keeneland. Brown attributed that to lack of fitness due to a summer illness and elected to regroup for this season rather than press on to the Breeders’ Cup.
Next, Rushing Fall could stay in New York for the rescheduled Just a Game on June 27 or head to Kentucky for the July 11 Jenny Wiley as Keeneland — which saw its Spring Meet canceled at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic — makes up for lost time with an abbreviated summer session.
"It will probably be between those two races," Brown said.
Behind Call Me Love, Passing Out got up past a tiring Got Stormy to round out the board in the Beaugay.
The 4-5 favorite Rushing Fall returned $3.70 to win.