Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Brown buys European yearlings
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown made his first foray into the European yearling market this week, attending the Tattersalls yearling auction in Newmarket. He did not leave empty-handed.
Brown purchased 12 yearlings, six each for Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm and Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables.
“I just thought it was a good opportunity to go over and take advantage of their strong bloodlines for turf,” Brown said this week. “Over the years, I’ve been active buying horses privately that are running already or horses that have been transferred to me. I felt with our prominence on turf it only made sense to expand our operation into trying to acquire some of their top bloodlines for turf earlier.”
Brown purchased yearlings by stallions such as Declaration of War, Dubawi, Nathaniel, Invincible Spirit, Kingman, and Dansili. Brown said Klarman purchased a Dansili colt who is a half-brother to the Group 1 winner Speedy Boarding. Klarman also bought an Invincible Spirit yearling out of the mare Dynaforce, who won the Beverly D. and Flower Bowl.
“I think I bought some nice horses,” Brown said. “We’ll see. It’s something I’ve been waiting for the right time to do and I thought the timing was right this time. We’re always trying to stay ahead and keep changing with the market. Fortunately, these two clients gave me the opportunity to do it and I’m thankful for that.”
Knickerbocker tops Monday card
There will be a nine-race program at Belmont Park on Monday, Columbus Day, topped by the Grade 2, $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
A field of 11 was entered for the grass, with one entered in the event the race is transferred to the main track. Through Friday, there have been 101 turf races run at this meet with zero taken off the turf. There is rain in the forecast, however.
It’s a pretty evenly matched field that includes Blacktype, who finished third in last year’s Knickerbocker. That was the first of six straight losses for the multiple graded stakes winner. Blacktype returned to the winner’s circle in a high-caliber allowance race here Sept. 9.
“He won well the other day, so that was nice,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “He seems to be back to his old form, training well. There’s rain in the forecast. He can handle firm, but he can handle soft, which is great.”
Forge and Delta Prince, second and third behind Heart to Heart in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga, will likely vie for favoristim in the Knickerbocker.
The others entered were Camelot Kitten, Hello Don Julio, Mark My Style, Muqtaser, Sir Dudley Digges, Smooth Daddy, Spring Quality, and The Grey Gatsby.
Juvenile winners point to Aqueduct
Not all 2-year-olds are trying to make it to the Breeders’ Cup.
Last weekend, Avery Island and Navajo each won a maiden race at Belmont Park, and they are pointing to the opening-week juvenile stakes at Aqueduct.
On Sept. 30, Avery Island, a son of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, won a 1 1/16mile race by 5 1/4 lengths in his second start, after having finished seventh in his debut sprinting. Joe Bravo rode him in both starts. Avery Island will point to the Grade 2, $200,000 Nashua, a one-turn mile, on Nov. 5.
“A lot of times our horses need a race for experience,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “He was disappointing, but Joey liked him and said he just wants farther.”
On Oct. 1, Navajo, a daughter of 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, won a one-mile maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths after finishing second in her debut sprinting at Saratoga.
“She always trained so professionally,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “After watching her run the first time I didn’t have any surprises the way she ran the second time. I will admit I am happy she got the added distance.”
Dutrow said Navajo will point to the Grade 3, $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile, on opening day at Aqueduct on Nov. 3.
Voodoo Song eyes Hollywood Derby
Trainer Linda Rice resisted the temptation of wheeling Voodoo Song back in a week in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park and instead will point the 3-year-old colt to the Grade 1, $300,000 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Dec. 3.
Voodoo Song, who won four times during Saratoga’s 40-day meet, finished second in last Saturday’s Commonwealth Derby at Laurel, and Rice considered running him back in the Hill Prince. But she did not feel Voodoo Song came out of the race well enough and the competition was too stern to wheel back on short notice.
“I do it when it’s a good opportunity,” Rice said about running horses back on short rest. “This looks like a solid field and I didn’t feel he was quite up to it off the race in Maryland. It was an easy decision to make.”