Fair Grounds: Summer Applause transferred from Calhoun to Brown

Barbara D. Livingston

Summer Applause lost all chance in the Houston Ladies Classic when her saddle slipped and her rider lost his irons.

Summer Applause, who had a horrendous trip when sixth in the Houston Ladies Classic, is being sent to Florida to trainer Chad Brown, according to Bret Calhoun, who trained the filly last year and into the race Saturday.

“She’s being transferred,” Calhoun said Wednesday. “A reason wasn’t given. I think there’s more races for her there.”

Calhoun won last year’s Grade 3 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds with Summer Applause. He also sent her out to finish second in the Fair Grounds Oaks and fourth in the Kentucky Oaks. In the Houston Ladies Classic, Summer Applause was unable to put in her run under regular jockey Miguel Mena after having to check hard in the early stages.

“She was last going into the first turn, she was behind horses and kind of ran up on heels and [Mena] took a hold of her and the saddle flipped up on her neck,” Calhoun said.

At that point, both of Mena’s feet came out of the stirrups. Mena was unable to right the situation until midway on the final turn.

“He was able to get the saddle back and eventually got back up in the saddle, but it was over,” Calhoun said.

Summer Applause was to ship from Fair Grounds to Florida on Thursday, Calhoun said. She races for Gillian Campbell, R Group Management, and Greenwood Lodge Farm.