Brown, Pletcher slug it out for training title
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Chad Brown said he’s not as consumed with being the leading trainer at Saratoga this year as perhaps he was last year, when he won his first Saratoga title with a meet-record 40 victories.
Brown entered the final four days of this year’s meet with a 36-35 lead over Todd Pletcher, a 12-time leading trainer at Saratoga. Over the final three days of the meet, Pletcher had 33 horses entered in 25 races, while Brown had 25 horses entered in 16 races. That includes also-eligibles and horses in turf races entered only to run on the main track.
Brown entered the meet as a heavy favorite to win his second straight title. While he may not win the most races, his stable entered the weekend tops in purse earnings with $4 million, and it has won nine stakes, including two Grade 1’s, three Grade 2’s, and a Grade 3.
“The culture around our barn is we’re always looking forward,” Brown said. “However, we take a lot of pride in that we won last year, and now that we’ve done it, it’d be great to do it again. If it doesn’t happen this weekend, I feel very confident that we’re going to be here for years to come because our business is very strong right now.
“We’re lucky to be able to have goals above that with the horses we have. I’m focused on hopefully winning a race like the Spinaway, we’re already thinking about the Breeders’ Cup, we’re excited about the big races at Belmont in the fall. This is one thing, but we have so much good stuff going on, you can’t let it consume you because at the end of the day, once Tuesday comes, we all have to plan beyond that.”
Pletcher’s barn entered the weekend with nine stakes victories, including a pair of Grade 2’s. His stable has earned $2.9 million. Pletcher’s success at Saratoga is always predicated on his 2-year-olds, and he’s won 11 juvenile races at this meet. He had a major player in Saturday’s Grade 1 Spinaway with Pure Silver and has two chances in Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful with Mojovation and National Flag.
“I truly believed that we exceeded expectations coming into this meet,” Pletcher said. “Seemed like coming in, I felt we had a chance to win some races and hoping the 2-year-olds would run well, and we’ve accomplished that.”
