Cambier Parc delivers as favorite in Herecomesthebride Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chad Brown is stocking up on quality 3-year-old turf fillies. He already has the reigning divisional leader in the unbeaten Newspaperofrecord, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall, and on Saturday, his filly Cambier Parc looked like another prospect with a bright future when she won the Grade 3, $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Cambier Parc ($3.60), the favorite, overhauled pacesetter Belle Laura and held safe late-running 21-1 shot Princess Carolina to win by three-quarters of a length, but what makes her victory more impressive is that Brown has said he believes Cambier Parc will be suited by distances far longer than the 1 1/16 miles she covered on Saturday.

“She’ll be better with more distance,” Brown said. “The longer the better. I’m impressed, but not surprised, that’s she’s doing well at these distances.”

On Saturday, Cambier Parc took up a stalking position outside Belle Laura through early fractions of 24.48 seconds for the opening quarter and 49.67 seconds for the half. My Gal Betty and Connectivity made moves into the far turn to challenge the top two, but they dropped away.

Cambier Parc, under Jose Ortiz, moved past a stubborn Belle Laura midway through the lane and was strong to the wire, finishing 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:42.03. Princess Carolina beat Belle Laura by a half-length for second.

Cambier Parc, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, was fourth in her debut on dirt last fall at Aqueduct, then beat maidens by four lengths at Gulfstream when switched to turf for start No. 2 on Jan. 2.

“Once she got on the grass, she found her niche,” Brown said. “I was impressed with her last race. I expected her to move forward, and she was sharper for this race.”

Brown trains Cambier Parc for the OXO Equine of Larry Best, who bought Cambier Parc for $1.25 million as a yearling. Brown said the main goal in coming months is the Belmont Oaks in July at Belmont Park, “but I’m not sure how we’ll get there,” Brown said, saying he’d plot out a plan with Best.

“This was our first graded stakes win for him,” Brown said. “There are ups and downs. We had the downs first. Now’s time for the ups.”