Bad Beat Brian in top form for Mighty Beau Stakes

Fresh off a breakthrough, course-record performance against a salty field at Churchill Downs, Bad Beat Brian faces another difficult test in Sunday’s $225,000 Mighty Beau Stakes at Ellis Park.

The 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint has drawn a deep field of 10, including graded stakes winners Nobals, Gear Jockey, and Yes I Am Free.

Bad Beat Brian was claimed for $40,000 last July at Ellis by trainer Brittany Vanden Berg out of a runner-up effort in an allowance/optional-claming turf sprint. In his first start for his new connections, Bad Beat Brian showed an affinity for Ellis by finishing third in the Turf Sprint, beaten less than a length.

Bad Beat Brian won an allowance/optional-claiming race in his next start at Kentucky Downs, but then lost six straight races, four in stakes. He gave signals he was coming into form when running a strong second in the Grade 2 Shakertown in April at Keeneland. Engaging in a long duel with divisional leader Caravel, he ultimately finished second by a head.

Bad Beat Brian, who races for Marsico Brothers Racing, was sixth in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint on May 6 at Churchill Downs, but bounced back on that course in an allowance/optional-claiming event 20 days later, winning by 1 1/4 lengths while covering 5 1/2 furlongs in a course-record 1:01.53. Nine-time stakes winner Just Might was second, stakes winner Smokin’ Jay was third, multiple graded stakes winner Bound for Nowhere was fourth, and stakes winner Surveillance was fifth and last.

:: Get ready for summer racing with a DRF Formulator Quarterly PP plan

Just Might, who became a millionaire in that race, Smokin’ Jay, and Surveillance all return Sunday. Nobals is the 5-2 morning-line favorite, with Bad Beat Brian listed at 7-2.

Nobals is coming off a game front-running victory in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint for trainer Larry Rivelli, his fifth career stakes score. The gelding earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 102.

Nobals is the only member of this field to break into triple digits this year, but five runners are coming off last-out figures in the 90s. Those include Bad Beat Brian, who ran a 99 in the Shakertown, and two starts later, a 98 in his record performance.

Yes I Am Free has done his best work at Gulfstream Park, where he has won 3 of 4 starts this year, including a repeat score in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Turf Sprint.

Gear Jockey will be making his first start this season and is looking for his first win since 2021.

Rounding out the field are stakes winner Carotari, Necker Island, and Charcoal.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.