Brown foursome preps in Flower Bowl

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown finished one-two in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Dayatthespa and Stephanie’s Kitten. On Saturday, he will try to finalize his lineup for this year’s Filly and Mare Turf when he sends out four runners in the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park.

Brown’s Flower Bowl roster comprises Stephanie’s Kitten, last year’s Flower Bowl winner; Watsdachances, elevated to first in the Grade 1 Beverly D.; Dacita, the winner of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa in her 2015 and U.S. debut; and Rosalind.

Brown said it was best for each of the four to run at Belmont Park rather than in California or at Keeneland.

Brown said he didn’t want to send Stephanie’s Kitten and Watsdachances to California to run on firm ground. Dacita, Brown said, is a bit quirky, and he’d prefer to run her out of her own stall. Rosalind didn’t do well when she shipped to California earlier in the year. Brown also didn’t like the timing of the Grade 3, $100,000 Sycamore on Oct. 15 at Keeneland as a potential Breeders’ Cup prep.

“Not ideal having to run four horses, but the approach I take all year with horses in the same division is if they individually earn their way into certain races, I’m going to let them run,” Brown said. “These four deserve to run here.”

Stephanie’s Kitten and Watsdachances worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 together Sunday at Belmont. Dacita worked five furlongs in 1:00.10 on Sunday in company with Olorda.

Among the Flower Bowl challengers are European import Curvy, beaten a half-length when fourth in the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks last out, America, Lady of Gold, White Rose, and Mutatis Mutandis.