Brown runners top Eatontown Stakes

Just as in the Grade 1 United Nations later on the Saturday card at Monmouth Park, trainer Chad Brown has a strong hand in the Grade 3 Eatontown, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

Brown has Elysea’s World and Dream Awhile in the $100,000 Eatontown.

Elysea’s World finished fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico on Preakness Day when she couldn’t handle the bog-like conditions. Dream Awhile will be making her first start since the Kentucky Derby undercard when she finished third in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile.

“The ground was just too soft for Elysea’s World last time,” Brown said. “She’s doing very well.

“Dream Awhile is in good form. We’ve freshened her a bit. They both should run well.”

Other top contenders include Lift Up, a winner of five of her last six starts, all for trainer Michael Dickinson, and Gianna’s Dream, who finished third in the Grade 2 Nassau at Woodbine in her most recent start. She is trained by Mike Maker.

Elysea’s World broke a ninerace losing streak two races back when she rallied to defeat Dream Awhile by a neck in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes at Gulfstream Park in February. She came into the Gallorette off a three-month layoff, and while her running line doesn’t look very good, she was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths for second behind 10 1/4-length winner Ultra Brat.

Dream Awhile was imported from France last summer and is yet to run a poor race. She won the Tropical Park Oaks at Gulfstream prior to the Suwannee River, and her solid third in the Distaff Turf Mile suggests she is still improving.

Expect both Elysea’s World and Dream Awhile to come from off the pace, with Elysea’s World probably the deeper closer of the two. They should get realistic fractions to run at from Special Event and Viva Vegas.

Lift Up is 5 for 9 and will be making her first graded start. While her Beyer Speed Figures trail those of the Brown runners, she is undeniably talented.

Gianna’s Dream returned from a three-month layoff in the Nassau, a one-turn turf mile that was run in a quick 1:32.74. The winner, Niigon’s Eclipse, went wire to wire as the longest shot in the six-horse field.

Class drop for Divine Miss Grey

Divine Miss Grey will take a marked drop in class in the $75,000 Lady’s Secret, a 1 1/16mile dirt race for fillies and mares.

Over the winter, Divine Miss Grey put together a three-race win streak at Aqueduct for trainer Danny Gargan that included open-length victories in the Heavenly Prize and Interborough.

In her two most recent efforts, she finished fourth in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses and third in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap.

Although Divine Miss Grey has won at a mile, this will be her longest race and her first around two turns since she ran in a maiden race on turf in December 2016.

Squan’s Kingdom, who is trained by Pat McBurney, and Total Control, trained by Brian Lynch, are both coming off an optional-claiming victory and could be Divine Miss Grey’s chief rivals.