At this time last month, Brody’s Cause was a badly beaten maiden, having lost his only start by 25 lengths in an Ellis Park grass race. But with a developing 2-year-old, a lot of improvement can take place in a short period of time, a point on display Saturday when he rallied from the clouds to score an 11-1 upset in the $500,000, Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who enjoyed success at Suffolk Downs with Cigar in the 1995 and 1996 runnings of the Massachusetts Handicap, captured the inaugural running of the featured $75,000 Suffolk Downs Distaff Turf on Saturday with the Irish-bred Tuttipaesi.
Continuing his domination of the turf stakes at Belmont Park these past two weeks, trainer Chad Brown struck again in Saturday’s $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes when Takeover Target wore down stubborn pacesetter Vision Perfect in deep stretch.
Golden Sabre lowered the nine-furlong track record during an impressive come-from-behind score in the Grade 3 Durham Cup Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday.
Flora Dora entered Saturday’s $500,000 My Dear Girl a maiden and came out a stakes winner after rallying to a 1 1/2-length victory over Enterprising Lady in the final leg of the filly division of the Florida Sire Series. The win was the first of the year for trainer Marialice Coffey.
Tepin wasn’t getting beat any noses today. The filly, who endured two heartbreakingly narrow defeats at the hands of rallying rivals at Saratoga over the summer, drew clear in the stretch for an emphatic seven-length victory in the Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.
Fioretti gave her connections easily the biggest wins of their careers when she pulled a 17-1 upset Saturday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland.
The $500,000 Flower Bowl is a Win and You're In for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Keeneland on Oct. 31, and Stephanie's Kitten earned a fees-paid berth in the field. Brown now has two horses scheduled for the Filly and Mare Turf: Stephanie's Kitten, who can perform on any kind of ground, and Dacita, whom he withheld from the Flower Bowl because she prefers firm footing.
Bob Pandolfo's Sharp Horses and Track Trends report featuring horses from Hoosier, Northfield, Philadelphia and others.
Horses to watch from Monticello Raceway.
