Brooklyn Strong catches Ten for Ten at wire in Remsen

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - It looks like the New York-bred breeding program will again be represented on the Triple Crown trail in 2021.

One year after Tiz the Law carried the banner for the statebred breeding program - winning the Belmont Stakes and running second in the Kentucky Derby - Brooklyn Strong took the mantle Saturday as he outfought Ten for Ten to the wire to win the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen Stakes by a neck at Aqueduct.

It was 8 3/4 lengths back to Known Agenda in third. Pickin’ Time and Erawan completed the order of finish.

The win was the third from four starts for Brooklyn Strong, a gelding by Wicked Strong who sold for a mere $5,000 at the OBS 2-year-old in training auction. He won a maiden $40,000 claimer at Delaware Park in September and the Sleepy Hollow Stakes against New York-breds at Belmont Park in October.

Both of those races were at one mile. The Remsen was at 1 1/8 miles, and Brooklyn Strong seemed to have no issue with that or the sloppy track.

“I knew the distance was key and I was very confident about the off track,” said trainer Daniel Velazquez, who captured his first graded stakes in this spot. “I’m extremely happy with his performance, he really dug in, very impressed. Today was a big showcase for him, it was against tougher competition and I couldn’t be happier.”

Under Joel Rosario, Brooklyn Strong broke on top, but settled into fourth position while kept wide and in the clear, three lengths off the pace. Ten for Ten, under Jose Ortiz, was loose on the lead through a half-mile in 47.86 seconds, maintaining a 1 1/2-length advantage over Pickin’ Time.

At the three-eighths pole, Ten for Ten was two lengths clear, but Rosario had moved Brooklyn Strong into second.

Ten for Ten was still clear turning for home, but Brooklyn Strong gradually cut into the margin. Inside the eighth pole, Ortiz took Ten for Ten outside to see Brooklyn Strong, but the New York-bred gelding was far from intimidated as he crept on past late.

Brooklyn Strong covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.60 over a sealed, sloppy track and returned $16.20 as the 7-1 fourth choice in a field of five.

“He was responding to me, I didn’t know how much horse Jose had in front of me but my horse I can feel was moving very well,” Rosario said. “I was really confident he was going to keep on going forward. I had to ride him a little bit, but he was responding to me.”

Brooklyn Strong earned 10 qualifying points toward the May 1 Kentucky Derby under the system utilized by Churchill Downs should the race draw more than 20 entrants.

Brooklyn Strong will be based at Parx with Velazquez during the winter. He could return to New York for a race such as the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers on Feb. 6, with either the Florida Derby at Gulfstream on March 27 or the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 3 as the major spring goal.

“I live in Florida, I’d love to see him run down there, but that would be very selfish,” owner Mark Schwartz said. “We’ll probably stay here for the Wood if he gets that far.”

Ten for Ten, whose lone win came over a sloppy track, had no excuses in finishing second. Trainer Shug McGaughey was overall pleased with the son of Frosted’s performance.

“He relaxed good today, ran a good race, he’s improving, just hope he improves a little bit over the winter,” McGaughey said. “I think he’s better on a fast track, but I can’t blame the track. He did everything right.”

McGaughey said Ten for Ten will ship to Payson Park in South Florida on Monday.