Brown sees Ready to Act maturing ahead of Beaumont Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ready to Act is one of those YouTube horses with down-the-stretch antics not easily forgotten. Trainer Chad Brown said the talented filly has been “a touch fragile mentally” since swerving and creating chaos in the Natalma Stakes last summer on the Woodbine turf course, but things are getting better.

“We’ve been working with her, trying to get her head situated,” Brown said in advance of the Grade 2 Beaumont Stakes, the Sunday highlight at Keeneland. “She’s really been doing well here at Keeneland and is giving us every indication she’s going to run well.”

Coming off a victory in the Sweetest Chant over the Gulfstream Park turf with jockey Javier Castellano up, Ready to Act figures as a major contender when turning back in distance and switching surfaces against seven other 3-year-old fillies in the 29th running of the $200,000 Beaumont, a Polytrack race at the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet.

Castellano has the mount back in the Beaumont, which goes as the eighth of nine races. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 4:42.

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“We’re looking forward to cutting her back to the one turn,” said Brown, who trains Ready to Act for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence. “She had a breeze over the synthetic Sunday, and I thought she handled it real well.”

Ready to Act appeared on her way to victory in the Natalma when she shied from the right-handed whip of Rajiv Maragh, suddenly veering in sharply and throwing Maragh to the ground. There were no major injuries.

Since then, Ready to Act has had three more races, all on turf, ending with the Jan. 26 Sweetest Chant, in which she rallied from just off the pace to prevail by a half-length.

“She won despite trying to lay on horses and lug in,” Brown said. “Javier steered her off, and she got the job done. She’s a work in progress. Obviously, she’s got a lot of ability, and we’re working on maximizing it.”

Other top threats in the Beaumont include Tea Time (post 2, Luis Saez), making her 3-year-old debut after winning twice from four starts last year; Sweet Whiskey (post 4, John Velazquez), a two-back winner of the Grade 3 Old Hat at Gulfstream; Richies Party Girl (post 6, Victor Espinoza), also resurfacing after ending her 2013 campaign by winning an ungraded stakes on the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup undercard at Santa Anita; and Co Cola (post 8, Joel Rosario), never worse than second in four career starts.

Spring Again, Conspired, and Katie’s Eyes round out the lineup.

The Beaumont is worth 10 points to the winner and 17 overall toward eligibility into the 14-filly field for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks.

Ciao Bella Luna won the Beaumont last year for Rosario and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

◗ The Beaumont will be part of a daylong celebration that carries a “Horses and Hope Pink Day” theme. Nearly 30 retired and active female jockeys, including Julie Krone, Donna Barton Brothers, Diane Crump, Rosie Napravnik, and Chantal Sutherland-Kruse, will take part in a variety of activities, including an autograph-signing session. Patrons are encouraged to wear pink in recognition of breast-cancer awareness and research.