Brown has three in Wonder Again Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Rushing Fall, the top 3-year-old turf filly in trainer Chad Brown’s barn, suffered her first career defeat in last month’s Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs.

When it comes to that division, though, there is rarely just one talented runner in the shed row. For Thursday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont Park, Brown has three of the 10 runners in the field.

Brown has entered Significant Form, Altea and Mighty Scarlett in the Wonder Again, which at 1 1/8 miles is the local stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational at 1 1/4 miles here July 7. Brown has won three of the first runnings of the Oaks and the previous two incarnations when it was called the Garden City. Two of those Oaks winners were Lady Eli (2015) and New Money Honey (2017), both of whom won the Wonder Again.

Significant Form will be the likely favorite in the Wonder Again. Fourth to Rushing Fall in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Significant Form came off a five-month layoff to win the Memories of Silver Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct. That race was void of speed and Significant Form won it on the front end, not her typical running style.

“She was able to change tactics a little, which I don’t think that’s her preferable way of running,” Brown said. “But with no pace in the race she did it and drew off nicely and ran terrific.”

Significant Form may be the primary speed in the Wonder Again. Animosity, who appeared to be the only other speed in the race, will scratch to run in the Grade 2, $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita, trainer Paddy Gallagher said Monday.

Brown said he would “definitely prefer” if Significant Form had a target.

As far as stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time, Brown said, “I think the longer the better for her.”

In two starts for Brown, the French-bred Altea was beaten a head when third in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks and fifth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths in the Grade 3 Edgewood.

“The last time the race unfolded with some give in the ground, not a real clear run, kind of a confusing race to me,” Brown said. “I think she has the potential to be quite a nice filly, just need to get her moving forward again.”

Mighty Scarlett has only a maiden win in two career starts. Brown said it is possible Mighty Scarlett could scratch and run in the Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 16.

La Signare has raced only three times coming into the Wonder Again. In her U.S. debut and 3-year-old debut, she finished a late-running second in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race to Toinette, who came back to beat Rushing Fall in the Edgewood. Trainer Brian Lynch is looking forward to stretching her out.

“I think the mile and an eighth would be to her advantage,” Lynch said.

The Wonder Again is one of three stakes on Thursday’s nine-race card, which begins at 2 p.m. Eastern. The other stakes are the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental for females at seven furlongs on the turf and the $150,000 Astoria for 2-year-old fillies on dirt.

Thursday through Saturday is billed as the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, featuring 18 stakes races worth $9.4 million in purse money.

KEY CONTENDERS

Significant Form, by Creative Cause
Last 3 Beyers: 91-79-78

◗ A couple of solid workouts, in company with stablemate Rushing Fall, should have her ready for her second start of the year.

La Signare, by Siyouni
Beyer: 87-NA-NA

◗ Has really impressed Lynch in the last few weeks in her turf drills.

“She does everything very comfortably and has plenty left on the gallop-out,” Lynch said.

◗ Lynch said La Signare would appreciate a little bit of soft turf.

Daddy Is a Legend, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 90-84-79

◗ Hooked up with Rushing Fall at the three-furlong pole of the Edgewood and ran with that one into deep stretch before both got outfinished by Toinette.

◗ Trainer George Weaver is removing blinkers in hopes of getting the filly to relax early on.