Watsdachances Primed and Ready for Beverly D

Talented 5-year-old four-time stakes-winning turf mare Watsdachances (above) is primed and ready to return to Grade I company in the $700,000 Beverly D. on Aug. 15, according to her connections. A two-time graded winner, including the Grade III $150,000 Gallorette Handicap on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico in May, the Irish-bred daughter of Diamond Green was second in the Grade I $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2012 and fourth in both the Grade I $500,000 Garden City Stakes (now refashioned as the Belmont Oaks) in 2013 and the Grade I $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational in 2014 – both at Belmont Park. Her 2015 Grade I try comes on the heels of a strong effort in the Grade II $200,000 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine on July 5 in which she was given too much to do and missed by a diminishing head at the wire.

“She’s doing very well,” said Peter Bradley, whose Bradley Thoroughbreds owns the bay mare with Michael Kisber and Nelson McMakin. “I spoke to (trainer) Chad (Brown) this week and he said she worked nicely and galloped out really well. At this time, the Beverly D. is our raison d’être.

“She has run two exceptional races this year and is rounding into form,” Bradley continued. “There was a bit of pilot error last time, but those things happen in turf racing. It’s always a tough field (in the Beverly D.), but she’s as good as she’s ever been and we’re happy with her. If she gets a ride like the way (jockey Javier) Castellano rode her at Pimlico, she’s going to be tough.”

This is not the first time Bradley has been involved with a talented Chad Brown-trained turf filly or mare. The accomplished bloodstock agent was also part-owner of Dayatthespa, whose brilliant front-running tactics under Castellano in last year’s Grade I $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf earned her a victory and consequently the Eclipse Award for champion turf filly or mare. Bradley is also the mind behind the yearling purchase of Brown-trained Lady Eli – considered by many to be one of the top turf fillies in the world – whom he then resold to ultimate principal owner Sheep Pond Partners.

“Dayatthespa is one of my all-time favorites,” Bradley said. “It’s hard to compare (Dayatthespa and Watsdachances). ‘Spa had more tactical speed, which makes you deadly in turf racing. If you have that and a kick, you have a real shot at being first or second almost every time – at least in my opinion.