Brown goes two deep in Florida Oaks
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Within the span of less than an hour Saturday afternoon, Chad Brown will see much of his hard work from the last few months come into sharp focus at Tampa Bay Downs.
An Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding trainer in 2014, Brown will run two horses apiece in back-to-back Grade 3 turf stakes at Tampa, starting with Consumer Credit and Mrs McDougal in the $200,000 Florida Oaks.
Brown, who is planning to be on hand here from his Miami-area winter base, has enjoyed watching Consumer Credit become a national leader in the 3-year-old turf-filly niche. Consumer Credit, a daughter of More Than Ready, will be seeking her fourth straight victory when part of a full gate of 14 in the 1 1/16-mile Florida Oaks.
Consumer Credit and one of her chief threats, Quality Rocks, both were scratched last Saturday at Gulfstream Park from the Herecomesthebride Stakes when that race was rained off the turf. Edgard Zayas retains the call on Consumer Credit.
This is the 32nd running of the Florida Oaks, which had been contested on dirt until 2011. It is carded as the ninth of 12 races (post, 4:23 p.m. Eastern). In the following race, the Hillsborough Stakes, Brown will send out the uncoupled duo of Stephanie’s Kitten and Ball Dancing.
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Florida Oaks, race 9
KEY CONTENDERS
Consumer Credit (Last 3 Beyers: 81-82-78)
◗ Powerful stretch run in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park six weeks ago definitely makes her the filly to beat here. Although it took her three tries to get through her maiden condition, she has been unbeatable since then, winning the ungraded Wait a While Stakes at Gulfstream Park West prior to the Sweetest Chant.
Quality Rocks (Last 3 Beyers: 79-79-73)
◗ Filly who was privately purchased last fall was prominent throughout the Sweetest Chant before settling for second behind Consumer Credit when making her first start since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Nicky’s Brown Miss (Last 3 Beyers: 76-74-69)
◗ Hard-trying filly has been a factor in most of her starts for Savino Capilupi, the owner and trainer of a one-horse stable. She comes favorably drawn on the hedge for this.
Lismore (Last 3 Beyers: 76-74-67)
◗ Runner-up to Consumer Credit in the Nov. 29 Wait a While, she recently returned with a first-place finish in an entry-level allowance on the Gulfstream turf, only to be disqualified for a minor incident down the stretch.
Include Betty (Last 3 Beyers: 76-65-51)
◗ Suddenly broke loose with an eye-popping rally to win the ungraded Suncoast Stakes five weeks ago on the Tampa main track and now makes her turf debut in an interesting spot for trainer Tom Proctor.
Mrs McDougal (Last Beyer: 73)
◗ Highly touted winner of her only career outing jumps right into graded waters with John Velazquez named to ride.