Brown shakes off Derby disappointment, turns eye to Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The highs and lows of Kentucky Derby weekend behind him, trainer Chad Brown is now zeroing in on the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga where it looks like he will be loaded for many of the 23 stakes being offered from June 6-9.

Of course, he already announced that Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone is targeting the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 8. But, wait, there’s more.

Though poor pre-race behavior from favored I’m Very Busy likely compromised his chances in the Grade 1, $1 million Turf Classic, stablemate Program Trading, under a relentless Flavien Prat outlasted Naval Power to win by a head. It was the third Grade 1 victory in just six career starts for Program Trading, a ridgling by Lope de Vega.

He’ll be pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard. Last summer, Program Trading won the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby at the same 1 3/16-mile-distance at which the Manhattan will be run this year.

“That was a really great performance off the layoff. He got a great trip, which he needed off the layoff, giving up recency to other horses in there,” Brown said of Program Trading’s Turf Classic success. “He really showed up.”

Program Trading, who improved his overall record to 5-1-0 from six starts – his lone loss coming to Integration in the Grade 3 Virginia Derby – earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Plans for I’m Very Busy are not set after the horse misbehaved in the paddock and in the gate prior to the Turf Classic. I’m Very Busy did run a strong second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf and was dominant winning the Mevin Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds before his seventh-place finish in the Turf Classic.

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Earlier on Saturday’s Churchill card, Brown sent out the top three finishers – Chili Flag, Coppice, and Delahaye – in the Grade 2 $665,000 Distaff Turf Mile. Brown said that, at the very least, Chili Flag and Coppice, separated by a neck, are probable for the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game Stakes on June 7.

Chili Flag, a 5-year-old French-bred daughter of Cityscape, previously won the Grade 3 Honey Fox, also by a neck, at Gulfstream Park.

Carl Spackler, who won the $304,000 Opening Verse Stakes on May 2, will be pointed to the Grade 3, $350,000 Poker on the June 8 Belmont card.

“I’m going to try and leave here with the ones who showed they’re in good form and focus on that four-day meet at Saratoga,” Brown said.

There was a lot of discussion about the condition of the Churchill turf course during the first few days of the meet. Brown wasn’t initially happy with how firm it was on opening night, but seemed generally pleased with it after the rains came on Friday.

“My horses were pushing off pretty good and that’s what I go on, if they get their toe in it a little bit,” Brown said. “I didn’t see it wrecked afterwards or huge divots everywhere. . . . I had a larger group of jockeys reporting to me, once I had more horses in, they were not negative on the turf course any more once it had some moisture in it. Hopefully it develops and grows into itself and such and it can stay and maybe it doesn’t have to be addressed again.”

Forego the goal for Gun Pilot

Gun Pilot had his coming-out party in Saturday’s Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes, giving trainer Steve Asmussen yet another top-class sprinter.

Gun Pilot won the Churchill Downs by 2 1/2 lengths and earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for his fifth victory in 11 career starts. Asmussen said the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga on Aug. 24 will be his major summer goal.

“He’s a horse we’ve always been excited about, it’s a very significant win that makes his next major target the Forego with something in between,” Asmussen said. “He’s done plenty of running to this point.”

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The Churchill Downs was Gun Pilot’s fourth start of the year.

Asmussen said he doesn’t see Gun Pilot and his other top sprinter, Skelly, meeting before, he hopes, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar in November. Skelly, who recorded three stakes wins at Oaklawn Park and a second in the Grade 3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia, won the Lake Hamilton Stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday.

He will be kept at six furlongs with the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap on July 27 at Saratoga on his agenda.

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