Brown notches Saratoga meet record for most wins

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Chad Brown had long ago wrapped up his second Saratoga trainer’s title. The only question was whether the local boy could establish a record for wins.

That question was answered in Saturday’s sixth race when the 2-year-old Spirit Animal rallied for a 1 1/4-length victory in a maiden turf race, giving Brown his 41st victory of the meet, the most any trainer has had at Saratoga. On Monday Saratoga will conclude its 150th race meeting.

Brown had established the mark of 40 wins in 2016, a total that was equaled by Todd Pletcher last year when he beat Brown by one for his 13th title. The Saratoga meet expanded to 40 days from 36 days in 2010.

“It was a goal, whether it happened this season or another season, always to hold that record for the most wins,” said Brown, who grew up in nearby Mechanicville, N.Y. “In this game of horse racing, at the end of the day you’re judged by winning.

“The most rewarding thing to see is the chemistry in the morning between all the moving parts, everyone executing their job, the brave horses showing up so well, so consistently,” Brown added.

Spirit Animal was Brown’s 9th 2-year-old winner of the meet, which obviously bodes well for the future.

“We spend a lot of time developing these horses, recruiting these horses, buying these horses, and I feel like we have a really strong group of 2-year-olds this year, we knew that coming in,” Brown said.

“We have a lot of good prospects, they have to develop and run on and not all of them are going to make Saratoga. Just trying to learn every year when we exit this meet how we can get better, and 2-year-olds are really key to this meet. If you can get some of them ready and win some 2-year-old races you’re most likely going to have a good meet.”

After Spirit Animal’s victory, Brown’s record stood at 41 wins, 30 seconds, 23 thirds from 150 starters.

Brown has many more runners to further the record by the time the meet ends Monday.

It was also fitting that the win came for owner Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables. Klarman has 11 wins of his own and eight more in partnership with William Lawrence.