Brown's quartet tough to separate in Diana

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – As Chad Brown bids for a record-extending 11th victory in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes, his primary concern goes beyond the competition his quartet of high-quality runners face in Saturday’s $500,000 turf race.

Brown, who sends out Grade 1 winners Portfolio Duration, Segesta, and Dynamic Pricing and Grade 3 winner Kathynmarissa, is worried about the turf course itself. The Saratoga region has not received measurable rainfall in several weeks. To Brown, the two courses – the Diana will be run on the inner – are too dry and hard.

“Win or lose, it’s just a matter if the horses can get their toe in the ground at any level,” Brown said. “I’m not looking for soft courses. For me, I’ve never experienced a turf course this hard and dry. They can’t penetrate it. It’s not the style of turf racing I like or my horses prefer. The lack of rain has been a factor, and I feel like there should be more water on it.”

The good news is there is rain in the forecast Saturday, but only about a quarter of an inch is expected. Also, the rain may come after the Diana is run, as it will go as Race 5 (2:46 p.m. Eastern) to accommodate a one-hour show on national Fox.

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Brown has dominated the Diana over the last 15 years like no trainer has dominated a stakes race on this circuit. Since 2011, Brown has won the Diana 10 times, including nine of the last 10 editions and four straight. Over that span, he has sent out 40 runners, and his record is 10-5-11.

Separating Brown’s foursome Saturday isn’t easy. Daily Racing Form linemaker David Aragona has Kathynmarissa (2-1), Portfolio Duration (5-2), and Segesta (3-1) as the top three choices. Dynamic Pricing is co-fourth choice at 6-1.

Portfolio Duration enters off a front-running victory in the Grade 1 New York at 1 3/16 miles here June 5. It was the 4-year-old daughter of Night of Thunder’s third win from just five career starts, her two defeats coming by a head and a neck.

“We always thought a lot of her, it just took a while to get her into a solid campaign,” Brown said. “She had a setback when she was younger, frustrating because we always knew she had a lot of ability. I’m not surprised in the least that she’s a Grade 1 horse.”

This will be Portfolio Duration’s first start at 1 1/8 miles.

“I think it’s perfect for her,” Brown said. “She handled the distance last time fine. This might be her best distance.”

On May 1, Kathynmarissa came off an eight-month layoff to win the Grade 3 Modesty Stakes at Churchill Downs, defeating defending Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Gezora in the process. In the New York, Kathynmarissa finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Portfolio Duration. Kathynmarissa is back to 1 1/8 miles, a distance at which she is 3 for 3.

“Off that huge Churchill race off the layoff, she might have bounced just a touch off that,” Brown said. “I like where I’m at now. These last two works are very nice, as good as I’ve seen her work all year, to be honest.”

Segesta has won two Grade 1 stakes at one mile and is a two-time graded stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles. She finished third in the Just a Game going one mile last out behind front-running winner Classic Q.

“She’s got those mile-and-an-eighth wins last year, I think this is just fine for her,” Brown said. “She seems to be coming into the race the right way, a very consistent horse.”

When entries for the Diana were taken Sunday, the forecast for Saturday called for more significant rain. Dynamic Pricing, third in last year’s Diana, certainly would move up on a course with moisture in it but is not without a chance over firm footing. She won the Perfect Sting over firm turf here last summer.

The European invader Cathedral ran a solid second in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May. She finished seventh to the high-quality Blue Bolt in a Group 2 stakes at Royal Ascot. Trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy said the filly had an excuse that day and that he is looking forward to getting her back to the races in this spot.

Ozara, trained by Miguel Clement, is 3 for 3 over Saratoga’s turf courses, though she will be attempting 1 1/8 miles for the first time in what will be her 18th career race. Clement believes it’s how Ozara is ridden that’s the key, not necessarily how far she has to run.

“If she’s engaged early, she always runs well. She’s a very simple filly to ride,” Clement said. “Last time, I found myself last going 7 1/2 [furlongs] at Woodbine.”

The New York-bred Five G is entered here and in Saturday’s Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park. As of Thursday, trainer George Weaver had not finalized where Five G will run. Weaver has John Velazquez named to ride at Saratoga. He did not name a rider at Monmouth.

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