Brown has five in Hall of Fame Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown will have an enviable mix of quantity and quality when sending out as many as five starters in Friday’s $200,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes.
Brown said there was a good chance he would start all five of his entrants – Takeover Target, Startup Nation, Night Prowler, Croninthebarbarian, and Winter Springs – in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame. His handful of 3-year-olds will face some strong competition, headed by A Lot, World Approval, and Vision Perfect.
Brown is used to being a busy man in the paddock prior to a race, having saddled four 2-year-olds in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf won by Lady Eli. His five potential Hall of Fame starters have four different ownership groups, with Takeover Target and Startup Nation both flying the colors of Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence.
“There are not a lot of alternatives,” said Brown. “All the horses seem like they’re that grade of horse at that distance. I’ll let the clients decide. I’m very happy to run all of them.”
Brown gave a capsule account of all five of his 3-year-olds.
“Takeover Target is a promising horse we’re finding out doesn’t want to go the mile and one-quarter,” said Brown. “Startup Nation is 2 for 2 at Saratoga, so it’s hard to keep him out of the race. Night Prowler is off a layoff, and a mile and one-sixteenth seems like a good distance for him. Winter Springs makes his first start in the country, has trained well here, and you’d hate to put him right into a Grade 1. And Croninthebarbarian ran an improved race with blinkers on last time.”
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A Lot is multiple graded stakes-placed but dropped a tough nose decision following an extended stretch duel with Gallery as the 1-5 favorite in the Manila Stakes four weeks ago at Belmont.
World Approval won the Grade 3 American Derby last month at Arlington Park and continues to improve from a Beyer Speed Figure standpoint with each subsequent start.
Vision Perfect was graded stakes-placed at 2 but has been idle since winning his only 3-year-old start, the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct, nearly four months ago.
Key contenders
Takeover Target (Last 3 Beyers: 84-86-85)
* Was fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby going 10 furlongs but won his only previous start at 1 1/16 miles, an allowance race at Belmont, in his 3-year-old debut.
Startup Nation (Last 3 Beyers: 84-84-73)
* Finished third after a wide trip in the Belmont Derby but was a Grade 2 winner at 1 1/16 miles at 2.
Night Prowler (Last 3 Beyers: 88-86-74)
* He posted the top Beyer in this field (88) when beaten a head by Grade 1 winner Force the Pass in the Grade 3 Penn Mile.
Croninthebarbarian (Last 3 Beyers: 82-74-69)
* He comes off perhaps his best race yet when beaten a length in the Manila with blinkers.
A Lot (Last 3 Beyers: 84-87-86)
* Has yet to run a bad race on turf at 3 but hung a bit late when narrowly defeated in both the Manila and earlier this season in the Grade 2 American Turf.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Sailthehighseas. Trainer Brad Cox is 6-3-1-1 with a $14.93 ROI over the past five years in turf routes at Saratoga. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Winter Springs. Trainer Chad Brown is 20-3-4-2 with a $1.66 ROI over the past five years with foreign shippers in graded stakes in the first start following a barn switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan