Carina Mia resumes winning ways in Shine Again Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It wasn’t as easy as the toteboard suggested it should have been, but Carina Mia made a successful first start for trainer Chad Brown, creating her own space in upper stretch and then outfinishing her new stablemate Going for Broke to win Wednesday’s $100,000 Shine Again Stakes by a neck at Saratoga.

Carina Mia, a Grade 1 winner of more than $1.1 million when trained by Bill Mott, won for the first time since last year’s Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park. Following six consecutive defeats – three to multiple champion Songbird – Goncalo Torrealba, chairman of Three Chimneys Farm, transferred Carina Mia from Mott to Brown.

Carina Mia was eligible for the Shine Again as the race was restricted to fillies and mares who had not won a race this year.

Under Javier Castellano, Carina Mia sat fourth on the inside of Indulgent as Absatootly set fractions of 23.42 seconds for the quarter and 46.08 for the half-mile while being hounded by Momameamaria.

Approaching the top of the stretch, Castellano and Carina Mia were blocked behind horses. Just above the three-sixteenths pole, Carina Mia nudged Indulgent to make some running room, kicked on when clear, and outfinished a rail-skimming Going for Broke to get the victory.

Going for Broke finished second, 3 1/4 lengths clear of Indulgent, who was 3 1/4 lengths clear of Momameamaria. Birdatthewire, Wheatfield, and Absatootly completed the order of finish. Clipthecouponannie, Discreet Senorita and Pawleys Express were scratched.

Carina Mia, a 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon, covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.23 and returned $3.10 as the 1-2 favorite.

“I think I had a perfect trip; I wait for everybody to fall apart and tried to find the best spot in the race,” Castellano said. “I had a great trip, rode with a lot of patience and a lot of confidence because I know she was the best filly in the race and she gave me the best result."

Brown said he had a few anxious moments at the top of the stretch, but he had plenty of confidence Castellano would find the necessary room.

“We chose Javier to ride this horse, thought he fit her quite well, he’s been in these situations plenty of times,” Brown said. “He just bided his time he told me and was hoping to get a little seam because he knew what kind of horse he had underneath him. She was good enough today to get through and get up.”

Brown said he was extremely pleased with the performance of Going for Broke, a filly who was making her first start since running third in last November’s Grade 3 Comely Stakes. Going for Broke finished second to Songbird in last year’s Alabama here.

“I put her in here knowing that she could run well, but knowing that seven is a little short for her, just trying to get her started after a very lengthy break,” Brown said. “I’m so pleased with her race that she came back as good as she did running at a distance shorter than she wants.”

Brown said Carina Mia would be considered for the Grade 1 Ballerina at seven furlongs or the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at 1 1/8 miles, both here on Aug. 26. Going for Broke would be considered for the Personal Ensign.