Brown adds a little seasoning for Curlin
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – That Chad Brown entered both Looking At Bikinis and Highest Honors in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga instead of Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes is out of respect for Preakness winner War of Will and Belmont Stakes runner-up Tacitus, both of whom are in the Jim Dandy.
It’s also a concession to the lack of seasoning for both of his 3-year-olds, each of whom has run only twice.
Either one, or perhaps both, could earn a trip to the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 24 based on how they run in the Curlin, restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes beyond a mile this year.
Looking At Bikinis won a maiden race last September at Belmont and was being considered for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland before he got injured. On June 27, Looking At Bikinis came off a lengthy layoff to win a first-level allowance race by a half-length over Not That Brady. In that race, Looking At Bikinis checked at the half-mile pole, lost position, and then rallied five wide to get the victory.
“He had an eventful trip and was able to overcome it off the layoff,” Brown said. “Very impressive race.”
Looking at Bikinis, a son of Lookin At Lucky, is stretching out from a mile to 1 1/8 miles and trying two turns for the first time.
“He’s certainly bred to do it and he travels in his races and his works like he’ll have no problem with two turns, but it’s always a question mark until they do it the first time,” Brown said.
On June 1, Highest Honors, a son of Tapit, won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Belmont by a length in his second start after getting beat a neck with a troubled trip in a sprint at Keeneland.
“We’ve been trying to get him to a mile and an eighth,” Brown said. “I like the distance and the timing for him.”
Rowayton, twice Grade 1 stakes-placed at 2, won an allowance race at Belmont on June 6 going 6 1/2 furlongs and was third in the Grade 3 Dwyer, a one-turn mile, when he lacked running room in upper stretch. Trainer Don Chatlos said this race will determine whether Rowayton stretches out in distance or cuts back to a sprint in a race such as the H. Allen Jerkens going seven furlongs on Aug. 24
“Do I think he’s distance-limited? I don’t know. He doesn’t show it in the morning,” Chatlos said. “Until they go out there in the afternoon and do it, it’s all speculation.”
Cairo Cat has not run since taking the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill 10 months ago. He needed the time to heal from a knee injury.
“If I can get a respectable race off the layoff I’ll come back in the Travers because I think he’ll love a mile and a quarter,” trainer Ken McPeek said.
Intrepid Heart, trained by Todd Pletcher, is dropping in class after finishing eighth in the Belmont Stakes.
Grumps Little Tots, Direct Order, Endorsed, and Mo Gotcha complete the field.