Saratoga 2024: Idea Generation at 31-1 steals the Flower Bowl

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables brought the formidable multiple graded-stakes winner McKulick as one of the favorites for the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl. But it was their 31-1 long shot Idea Generation who took them from gate to wire in Saturday’s 1 3/8-mile inner-turf test for older fillies and mares at Saratoga.

The Flower Bowl awarded Idea Generation with a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 2 at Del Mar as part of the win-and-you’re-in challenge series, although winning trainer Chad Brown said that was an unlikely target.

Click here for Saratoga entries and results.

“That seems like a little bit of a reach. She had her ground and her own way today,” Brown said. “I’m not going to get ahead of myself there. We’ll see how she’s doing. She’s unlikely to have soft turf at Del Mar. We know that. We’ll just enjoy this win and plan our future from here. When she gets around three turns on soft turf, she has a place in the barn, that’s for sure."

Idea Generation flipped the script of the 1 3/8-mile Waya (G3) in October at Belmont at the Big A, where she set the pace before being caught in the stretch by stablemate McKulick. This time the 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi would not be denied, adding accolades of her own to her résumé with her first victory against winners.

Piloted by Florent Géroux, Idea Generation emerged well from post 6 to lead the field of seven through the first turn and into the stretch for the first time, marking the opening quarter-mile in 26.08 seconds over the yielding footing. Parnac tracked 5 1/2 lengths back in second, and McKulick remained under a tight hold from Irad Ortiz Jr. in third.

Brown said he felt confident in Idea Generation as the field passed the stands for the first time.

“She had her ears up and was loving the ground,” Brown said. “We knew she liked the soft ground, but she was really looking comfortable the whole way. I actually felt good on the final turn with everybody getting closer. I could see he was giving her a breather. Flo rode a great race. The other good race she ran was with him last fall, so I was thrilled he was actually here today. I was very excited to put him on the horse.”

Brown recalled when Géroux piloted Idea Generation to her pace-setting runner-up effort in the Waya over yielding footing and said he envisioned a similar scenario.

“My instructions in the paddock were the same that day when she ran second at Aqueduct last fall. You’re here to set the pace, but you’re also here to win. Try to do both. Honest pace. She enjoys running along freely, but if you think you can win the race, by all means, try to win the race. He did it. He was clear,” Brown said. “He was setting an honest pace, but he used good judgment to try and win the race for himself, too. That’s what I do with my speed horses.”

Idea Generation maintained her advantage through the second turn and onto the backstretch as she marked splits of 51.92, 1:18.20 and 1:43.58 with the running order mostly unchanged. That was before Ortiz got moving aboard McKulick into the final turn. Júnior Alvarado angled post-time favorite War Like Goddess off the rail and wide around Eternal Hope to forge a path for the lead.

Parnac, last year’s Flower Bowl victor, faded along the inside as McKulick overtook second at the top of the lane, and the pair of War Like Goddess and Eternal Hope charged down the center of the course. Idea Generation kept a comfortable cushion between her and her stablemate through 1 1/4 miles in 2:07.14. War Like Goddess provided some interest late as she drew nearer in the final sixteenth, but there was no catching Idea Generation, who crossed the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front with a final time of 2:18.97.

War Like Goddess held second by two lengths over McKulick, who fended off Eternal Hope by a head for show. Verbier, who broke last, Millie Girl and Parnac completed the order of finish. La Mehana and Neecie Marie were scratched along with main track-only entrants Movie Moxy and Amanda’s Folly.

Bred in Ireland by Epona Bloodstock, Idea Generation debuted with a nose second in a local maiden special weight in July 2022 that was declared a non-wagering event and broke her maiden at third asking traveling 1 1/16 miles at Aqueduct. She entered off a closing fifth in a local allowance going the Flower Bowl distance July 25 off a nine-month layoff.

Idea Generation, who was bought for $485,808 out of book 1 at the 2021 Tattersalls October yearling sale, banked $275,000 in victory while improving her lifetime record to 7: 2-2-0. She returned $64.50 on a $2 win ticket.