Brown, Pletcher divvy up juvenile turf stakes

ELMONT, N. Y. - Trainers Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher split the two graded turf stakes run at Belmont over the weekend and both are likely to send their winners and losers to Del Mar for their respective Breeders’ Cup races.

Pletcher ran first and third in Saturday’s Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes with Seabhac and Maraud, and the Brown-trained Voting Control finished second. All three are likely to move onto the Juvenile Turf on Nov. 3.

Brown won Sunday’s Grade 3 Miss Grillo with Significant Form, with the Pletcher-trained Orbolution running third. Both horses have done enough to be considered top contenders for the Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3.

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Brown has won the Juvenile Fillies Turf three times with horses that won the Miss Grillo: New Money Honey last year, Lady Eli in 2014, and Maram in 2008

“You got to have the right horses,” Brown said. “We’re lucky yet again to land another one in our barn that has exceptional talent.”

Brown felt Voting Control was compromised in the Pilgrim by being squeezed back and losing position at the start.

Pletcher said jockey John Velazquez told him Orbolution on Sunday and Maraud on Saturday struggled with the moisture that was in the turf course due to Saturday’s rain.