Brown brigade sets sights on Arlington stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On to Chicago.

After winning his fourth straight Grade 1 Diana Stakes on Saturday with Sistercharlie, trainer Chad Brown will now set his sights on winning a fifth straight Beverly D. with the likes of Sistercharlie and Homerique headed to the Grade 1, $600,000 race at Arlington Park on Aug. 10.

Sistercharlie came off a 252-day layoff to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Diana for a second consecutive year. Sistercharlie beat Rushing Fall by 1 3/4 lengths, ran 1 1/8-miles in 1:47.34, and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 105.

“One of her career-best performances, she showed she’s a true champion,” Brown said, noting that Sistercharlie is the reigning female turf champion. “She had some things to overcome yesterday and she did.”

Sistercharlie won last year’s Beverly D. by a half-length over Fourstar Crook with Thais, put in that race as a pace-maker, holding on for third. Brown also won the Beverly D. with Dacita (2017), Sea Calisi (2016), and Watsdachances (2015). He also won it in 2011 with Stacelita.

Brown said the Beverly D., the Flower Bowl on Oct. 6, and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 1 is a “schedule that makes a lot of sense” for Sistercharlie.

Homerique had won her first two starts in this country for Brown before finishing third in the Diana, beaten two lengths.

“Irad [Ortiz Jr.] said when he switched from his left to his right stick, she shied from that and lost a little momentum,” Brown said. “I’m not sure how that affected her finish, but she could have been closer. I thought she ran great from where she was, behind Sistercharlie, which put her at an immediate disadvantage.”

Brown said Competitionofideas could also be considered for the Beverly D.

Brown will also seek his third consecutive Arlington Million victory on Aug. 10. Brown plans to send Bricks and Mortar and Robert Bruce for sure, and likely Raging Bull as well. Bricks and Mortar and Raging Bull worked five furlongs in 1:00.81 together Sunday morning over the Oklahoma turf course.

The pair went in splits of 13.07 seconds, 25.31, and 37.53, getting their last quarter in 23.28.

Robert Bruce, last year’s Arlington Million winner, went five furlongs in 1:01.12 over the Oklahoma turf.