Brown among several trainers starting fast at spring meet

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Everybody loves when a plan comes together, including Chad Brown, who arrived at Keeneland last week intent on making an immediate impact.

Mission accomplished. Brown took the early lead atop the spring meet trainer standings by winning six races from 10 starts while checking off his biggest boxes, most notably the Blue Grass Stakes with his Kentucky Derby hopeful Good Magic. Brown also prevailed with both of his comebacking 3-year-old turf stars Analyze It and Rushing Fall, respective winners of the Grade 3 Transylvania on Friday and the Grade 2 Appalachian on Sunday.

“We’re very pleased with it all,” said Brown. “It’s been a long winter just preparing a lot of these horses, resting them, trying to plan for a solid year. A lot of them are just starting out their campaign here at Keeneland. So we’ve had to wait and be patient. My staff put a lot of time in developing all these horses you’ve seen run so well this opening weekend.”

Brown wasn’t the only trainer to enjoy a quick start to the 16-day meet. Bret Calhoun swept both 2-year-old races on the Friday opener, then was delighted to see his stable star Finley’sluckycharm outlast a veritable posse when the 5-year-old mare registered her first Grade 1 victory Saturday in the Madison. The first three margins on the wire were nose, nose, head, with the fifth-place finisher, Salty, finishing three-quarters of a length behind Finley’sluckycharm.

“All our horses ran great,” said Calhoun. “We had high expectations coming in, but it usually never turns out that good, especially at the Keeneland spring meet. We’re very happy.”

Wesley Ward also had an opening weekend to remember, even with his first two 2-year-olds going down to defeat as odds-on favorites Friday. Ward wound up winning four races from eight starts, including a breakthrough victory (and 107 Beyer Speed Figure) from the turf sprinter Bound for Nowhere in the Grade 2 Shakertown on Saturday and a sweep of the two 2-year-old races Sunday.

“You never know with this crazy game,” said Ward. “I’m just humbled to do this well at Keeneland. It’s the greatest place in the world.”