Brown, Pletcher make plans for the fall

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – While the Saratoga meet ends Monday, the racing season will continue, and trainers Chad Brown and Todd Pletcher spent a good part of Saturday morning putting horses through workouts and gearing up for the fall.

Brown worked 23 horses Saturday morning at Saratoga, including Arlington Million winner Beach Patrol and Beverly D. one-two finishers Dacita and Grand Jete.

Pletcher worked 18 horses Saturday morning, topped by Suburban winner Keen Ice, who is targeting the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 7.

Beach Patrol worked four furlongs on Saratoga’s main track in 48.43 seconds in company with the 3–year-old maiden filly Wake Island. Beach Patrol, who has two Grade 1 wins at 1 1/4 miles, will try 1 1/2 miles in the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 30.

“I don’t see any other options that make sense,” Brown said. “I don’t want to cut him back to a mile. He’s a tweener. I don’t think he has enough turn of foot to run at a mile.”

Dacita, the Beverly D. winner, worked a half-mile over the Oklahoma training track in 50.46 in company with Startup Nation. Dacita is tentatively being pointed to the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont Park on Oct. 8, though her plans could be predicated on what Brown decides to do with Lady Eli, as both have common ownership.

Other options for Dacita include the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Sept. 30 or the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine on Sept. 16. Dacita was beaten a nose by stablemate Rainha Da Bateria in last year’s Canadian.

“Some of what she does will depend on what I do with Lady Eli, which I don’t know yet – she’s still possible for the Flower Bowl,” Brown said. “If she runs there I’d potentially ship Dacita somewhere else.”

Grand Jete, who finished second to Dacita in the Beverly D., is definitely being pointed to the Flower Bowl. On Saturday, she worked five furlongs on the Oklahoma turf course in 1:00.73 in company with Time Test, who is being pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 7.

Brown called the work “exceptional” and is hoping Time Test could catch firm turf for the Shadwell Turf Mile. Time Test finished second to World Approval in the Grade 1 Fourstardave here Aug. 12 when rain softened up the ground midway through the card.

“The horse clearly loves firm ground,” Brown said. “He just breezed exceptional on very firm ground right there. He needs firm. He’s been very unlucky with the ground he’s gotten.”