Brown considering a couple of Keeneland options for Royal Charlotte

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With limited options for 3-year-old filly sprinters, trainer Chad Brown will have some decisions to make when it comes to selecting the next start for Grade 2 Prioress Stakes winner Royal Charlotte.

If he wants to keep her against her own age group, Brown would likely run Royal Charlotte in the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run Stakes on Oct. 19 at Keeneland. But that race is at seven furlongs, perhaps a little farther than what Brown thinks is her best distance. If he wants to run her at six furlongs, Keeneland also offers the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America on Oct. 5, but that race is for fillies and mares 3 and up.

“She sure looks like a tick below seven is better for her, but she does have that win at Keeneland, so I’m not sure,” said Brown, who is considering impressive debut winner Indian Pride for the Raven Run.

By winning the Prioress by 1 1/2 lengths over Break Even, Royal Charlotte improved her record to 5 for 6 and rebounded from her only career loss, that coming in the Grade 1 Test here on Aug. 3.

Brown ran Royal Charlotte back in the Prioress despite her poor race in the Test because he believed the track had tightened up since the Test was run.

“At the beginning it was more demanding, it was looser, some horses didn’t care for it,” Brown said. “I noticed in my workouts the last two weeks that horses were getting over the track differently which is why I ultimately decided to throw her in at the last minute.”

Royal Charlotte, a daughter of Cairo Prince owned by First Row Partners and Parkland Thoroughbreds, earned a career-best 92 Beyer Speed Figure.