Brown has three shots to win first Fourstardave

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though several of his top turf females and males will be in Chicago Saturday trying to continue his winning streaks in the prestigious Beverly D. and Arlington Million, trainer Chad Brown will have two males and one female attempting to get him his first victory in Saratoga’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave.

Brown has entered Uni, a 5-year-old mare who is undefeated at a mile; Raging Bull, who is unbeaten at Saratoga; and Made You Look, a two-time graded stakes winner. The Fourstardave offers an automatic fees-paid berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. The Fourstardave winner has won four of the last seven runnings of the BC Mile.

Uni, a daughter of More Than Ready, beat males once from three tries in Europe when trained by Fabrice Chappet. In nine starts for Brown, Uni has six wins, including five victories in as many tries at a mile. The streak includes a victory in the De La Rose Stakes here last August and the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar last Dec. 2.

In her only start this year, Uni won the Perfect Sting Stakes at Belmont Park on June 29. Jockey Joel Rosario just had to keep her out of trouble and let her unleash her strong late kick.

Brown had the Fourstardave in mind for Uni right after that race.

“I think she’s an exceptional talent at a mile,” Brown said. “I don’t run fillies too much against males, but I’m very excited about this race to see what happens.”

Raging Bull has made his last two starts against Bricks and Mortar, at 1 1/8 miles in the Turf Classic at Churchill and at 1 1/4 miles in the Grade 1 Manhattan. Raging Bull was no match for Bricks and Mortar in either spot, so rather than send him to Chicago for the Arlington Million – where Bricks and Mortar is going to run – Brown elected to shorten Raging Bull to a mile, a distance at which he has two wins, though not in stakes company. Raging Bull did win two stakes here last summer – the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame at 1 1/16 miles and the Saranac at 1 1/8 miles.

“If there’s a hot pace in front of him, he’ll be coming at them late,” Brown said.

Jose Ortiz rides Raging Bull from post 4.

Made You Look finished fourth in last year’s Fourstardave. He has run only once since, a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Forbidden Apple here on July 12.

Brown is not the only trainer with a female and male in the Fourstardave. Mark Casse has been pointing the 4-year-old gelding March to the Arch to this race for weeks, and he also entered the 4-year-old filly Got Stormy, who just one week ago won the De La Rose Stakes here.

“My concern is not with her ability,” said Casse, who trains Got Stormy for Gary Barber. “It’s the short turnaround.”

Watching her train this week, Casse said Got Stormy “hasn’t given us any negative” signs.

March to the Arch won the Grade 2 Wise Dan Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 14. He was farther out of position than Casse would have liked when he finished fifth in the Forbidden Apple. March to the Arch breaks from the rail on Saturday.

“I love the post; he could sit in there and save ground,” Casse said. “His race wasn’t that bad last time. He just ran very spotty.”

With Gidu and Dr. Edgar in the field, there is the chance of a strong early pace in the Fourstardave. The Godolphin-owned Ostilio has also shown speed.

While a strong pace would help Uni, Raging Bull, and March to the Arch, it would also benefit Hembree, who enters the Fourstardave with three consecutive runner-up finishes. Most recently, he was beaten a half-length by Mr Havercamp in the Forbidden Apple.

When Hembree’s trainer, Mike Maker, examined the competitive nature of the field, he said, “If he finished first or last it wouldn’t surprise me. He’s a cool horse. He holds his weight well. He’s very easy on himself.”

Bill Mott has won the Fourstardave four times. Saturday, he will send out Krampus, who won the Grade 3 Canadian Turf at a mile at Gulfstream on March 2. Most recently, he finished a nose behind Hembree when third in the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont.

The Fourstardave and the Grade 2, $200,000 Saratoga Special for 2-year-olds here will both be shown live on NBC Sports during a one-hour broadcast that begins at 5 p.m. Eastern.