Whitebeam led each step of the way in which to notch a repeat victory within the $500,000 Grade 1 Diana Stakes July 13 at Saratoga Race Course. The win was the a hundred and fiftieth Grade 1 win within the profession of coach Chad Brown, and likewise accounted for Brown’s ninth victory within the 1 1/8-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares and his eighth within the final 9 years.
The Diana added yet one more glowing line to Brown’s profession resume that appears sure to earn him a spot within the Corridor of Fame as soon as he completes his twenty fifth 12 months as coach in 2032. A winner of two,289 races in his profession so far, his horses have earned $289,300.559, inserting him sixth on the all-time earnings listing.
“It is 9 Dianas. It means quite a bit to me. It means quite a bit to my crew,” mentioned Brown, a former assistant to the late Corridor of Fame coach Bobby Frankel.
“(Bobby) Frankel taught me nicely and he was at all times pointing in the direction of this race. There is a very brief listing of races once I left Frankel that it was simply instilled in me that he held in excessive regard and pointed in the direction of. The Diana was means up on that listing,” Brown mentioned. For him to carry it in excessive regard, it actually should have meant one thing. So, I assumed if I ever had adequate horses, it is a race I really want to give attention to as a result of he isn’t mistaken a lot. I am very lucky to have horses adequate to run on this race, actually.”
Whitebeam a Juddmonte homebred, was winless in 4 begins since taking the 2023 Diana however was coming off a sport second within the June 7 Grade 1 Only a Sport Stakes, when she completed a half-length behind Brown stablemate and Diana starter Chili Flag. The Diana was her third begin of the 12 months.
Whitebeam and jockey Flavien Prat grabbed the lead from the beginning, masking the opening half-mile in :49.49 whereas main by a size. The early fractions have been modest, however Whitebeam started motoring after six furlongs in 1:13.76. As 2-1 favourite Didia tried to collar her, Whitebeam coated her subsequent quarter mile in a blazing :22.94 to fend off that bid and open a secure 1 1/2-length lead in mid-stretch on her approach to a three-quarters of a size margin of victory.
“There was an absence of tempo on paper and the plan was to go on the market and simply attempt to management the race and see if she was adequate to carry on,” Brown mentioned.
Didia dropped again to fourth. Moira, the Kevin Attard-trained Canadian-bred 2022 Queen’s Plate winner, closed strongly from sixth within the area of 10 to take second by a nostril over Gina Romantica, who was one other of Brown’s 5 starters within the race. He additionally despatched out Coppice (fifth), Fluffy Socks (eighth), and Chili Flag (ninth).
The 5-year-old Whitebeam ($11.60) coated the 9 furlongs in 1:48.14 whereas changing into the seventh back-to-back Diana winner. The win was her sixth in 14 begins.
Mo Plex grew to become the latest poster boy for the profitable New York-bred breeding program along with his front-running rating within the $175,000 Grade 3 Sanford Stakes July 13 at Saratoga Race Course.
The Sanford area was dealt a curve ball early Saturday morning when 6-5 morning line favourite Mentee was scratched from the race. Proprietor Mike Repole had reported on X that the total brother to 2023 champion 2-year-old male Fierceness had sadly spiked a 102.2-degree temperature. With the absence of the speedy Mentee, the Sanford immediately grew to become a wide-open taking part in area.
Mo Plex has surpassed all expectations after being purchased for a cut price worth of $45,000 at this 12 months’s Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching. The Sanford victory got here solely 23 days after Mo Plex had demolished his rivals by 10 lengths in a state-bred maiden particular weight throughout the Belmont on the Huge A gathering.
“I really like the (New York-bred) program,” mentioned coach Jeremiah Englehart. “That is the place I name dwelling all 12 months lengthy, and I focus and give attention to shopping for New York-breds. Hopefully, we have got just a few extra we are able to unveil later within the meet and have some enjoyable with. It is only a great program, they usually’ve proven they will run with something.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. spurred Mo Plex to the entrance from the far outdoors submit and cleared the sphere within the first 50 yards whereas scampering to a bonus via a :22.51 opening quarter mile. Along with his opponents reeling behind him turning for dwelling following a half-mile in :45.92, Mo Plex drove down the lane and held secure by a diminishing size over a late-rallying Studlydoright.
“I hope every little thing works out nicely with (scratched morning-line favourite) Mentee, and we sort of benefitted a bit of bit from the scratch at the moment, however Irad rode him rather well,” Englehart mentioned. “I am actually excited with how he did every little thing.”
Mo Plex ($5.70) stopped the timer in 1.11.72 for six furlongs on a quick primary monitor.
Maryland-bred Studlydoright, winner of the Tremont Stakes June 6, completed a half-length in entrance of third-place finisher Three Echoes. — Molly Rollins
