Brown strong in Florida Oaks, Columbia Stakes
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OLDSMAR, Fla. – Though Opulent Restraint went 2 for 3 as a 2-year-old, trainer Chad Brown believes she barely scratched the surface of where her talent can take her moving forward.
Saturday, Opulent Restraint makes her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs. Brown is hopeful it’s a starting point for bigger and better things in 2025.
“She was doing things at 2 she probably wasn’t supposed to do,” Brown said. “But she’s so talented she was able to run three times at 2. But everything about her screams time and older.”
Brown felt Opulent Restraint had the physical talent to be a Breeders’ Cup-type filly at 2, but not the mental capacity. He noted that when Opulent Restraint shipped from Belmont Park to Aqueduct for the Chelsey Flower Stakes last fall she didn’t act good in the paddock pre-race.
“She got the job done despite sort of losing it a little bit,” Brown said. “We’re hoping she ships over to Tampa and does okay. I think she’s got a big year ahead of her.”
Brown also sends out Brillante in the Florida Oaks, run at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The French-bred filly came to the U.S. last fall and was able to win a January maiden race at Tampa by 4 1/4 lengths.
Trainer Mark Casse is enjoying a stellar winter with his 3-year-old turf fillies and sends out two – Nitrogen and Smudge – in the Florida Oaks. He chose the Florida Oaks for Nitrogen over last week’s Hercomesthebride at Gulfstream Park, due in part to the 1 1/16-mile-distance of the race. Casse won the one-mile Herecomesthebride with Vixen.
Nitrogen won the Ginger Brew going a mile at Gulfstream on Jan. 4 “but just barely,” Casse said. “She’s not as quick some of those other fillies. I think Tampa’s a little kinder to closers.”
Casse scratched Smudge from the Herecomesthebride and entered her in this spot for a similar reason.
“She’s not in Nitrogen’s neighborhood just yet, but she’s got a big pedigree and a big future,” Casse said.
Trainer Graham Motion has the pair of Pretty Lavish and Smart Union in the Florida Oaks. Pretty Lavish is 2 for 2, having won her maiden in Ireland before rallying from next to last to win a first-level allowance at Tampa on Feb. 8. Smart Union has won allowance races at both Tampa and Gulfstream.
Brendan Walsh has the pair of Lush Lips and Celtic Motif. Lush Lips has won two straight at Gulfstream and could play out as the primary speed. Celtic Motif, while still a maiden, has a strong closing kick.
Trainer Eoin Harty said Thursday he is undecided if he starts Deloraine in this spot. Deloraine won a turf allowance at Tampa before running third in the Suncoast on dirt.
Columbia
Zulu Kingdom, a two-time stakes winner in New York at 2, makes his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Columbia Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Zulu Kingdom won his debut in France for Andre Fabre before being purchased privately and sent to Brown, who sent him out to neck victories in the Grade 3 With Anticipation at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Aqueduct.
Brown was high on Zulu Kingdom entering the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but he got involved in a hot early pace and faded to seventh under Flavien Prat, who is back aboard Saturday.
“Going into the Breeders’ Cup I felt confident he’d win and he was up on that 46-and-1 pace and it bottomed him out,” Brown said. “I’m just looking for him to settle a little more comfortably in the race. If the pace is fast, be back, if the pace isn’t as fast I’m okay being forward with him.”
Brown also entered Early Adopter, who finished third behind Zulu Kingdom in the Pilgrim and then was third in the Central Park in November, his most recent start. Brown said Early Adopter is pace-dependent, but he is adding blinkers to the colt’s equipment with the idea of helping him have less to do in the late stages.
Reagan’s Wit, trained by Cherie DeVaux, was visually impressive in an eight-length maiden victory on Jan. 20 at Fair Grounds. That race has produced two next-out winners.
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Reagan’s Wit is owned in part by West Point Thoroughbreds, which also owns Columbia entrant Revolutionnaire, who went 2 for 6 in France for Henri-Francis Graffard before being purchased privately and sent to Christophe Clement.
Casse sends out Dream On, who, after finishing fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November, came off a layoff to win a first-level allowance at Gulfstream on Jan. 11. Casse said he was considering the Colonial Liam Stakes for Dream On, but he missed some time with the horse so he lands in the Columbia with the idea of getting to stakes in the Kentucky this spring.
Peace Cloud and Sky Masterson looks like they could provide the speed in this field.
Versus is expected to scratch from the Columbia to run in an allowance at Gulfstream on Sunday, according to trainer Kelly Breen.
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