Crowded Trade's debut win adds to Brown's substantial local bank account

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown and the bulk of his stable may be enjoying the warm weather and the turf options Florida has to offer this time of year, but the string of horses he left behind in New York is handling the cold just fine while racking up the wins and purse money.

When the 3-year-old Crowded Trade overcame a slow start to win his debut Thursday at Aqueduct, it was the ninth winner from 20 starters at the meet for Brown. With Aqueduct’s strong purse structure, Brown’s stable has earned $445,192 since Aqueduct’s winter meet began Dec. 10.

By contrast, Brown has combined to win 10 races from 49 starters between Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs, resulting in $258,700 in total purse money won.

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Brown’s success in New York includes several maiden winners whose futures look bright. Crowded Trade earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure for his one-length maiden victory over Hyperactive Chris, who was 8 3/4 lengths clear of the rest of the field.

“We really liked the horse,” Brown said Friday from Florida. “He’s always been a little slow from the gate in the morning, so it wasn’t a total shock that he broke slow, but it was time to get him started. He ran up to his works, and he’s one we always thought would improve with distance.”

Brown said he’s not sure what is next for Crowded Trade, a son of More Than Ready owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables.

Klarman also owns maiden winners Risk Taking and Subsidize. Risk Taking, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race here Dec. 13 with blinkers added and is now pointing to next Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes.

“That horse always trained with a lot of promise,” Brown said. “We finally figured him out – a mile and an eighth, blinkers – and he put it all together. He’s a horse that keeps improving. It’s a big step up off a maiden win, but I’m going to do it because he’s proven at the distance.”

Subsidize, a son of Into Mischief, won a six-furlong maiden race here Jan. 7 in his fourth start.

“His last number" -- a career-best 76 Beyer -- "was a big jump up,” Brown said. “I’m going to take my time with that horse. I’m hopeful that he’s turned the corner, developing into the horse we thought he was. I don’t have any immediate plans for him.”

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Brown is planning to run Highly Motivated, another son of Into Mischief owned by Klarman, in the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes here March 6. Highly Motivated won the Nyquist Stakes on Nov. 6 at Keeneland, but came out of the race a little stiff. Highly Motivated was scheduled to have his third breeze of the year over the weekend at Palm Meadows, a training center in Florida where he is based,.

“I gave him a little extra time, and that put me behind a little bit,” Brown said. “I approached him like I have some of these other horses that I have in, that I don’t want to run him too much before the Derby because if they’re not good enough I want to have the rest of the year. There’s some pretty good races out there.”

On Jan. 24, Brown won the Busanda Stakes with The Grass Is Blue. Brown said he has no immediate plans with that 3-year-old filly, who, Brown said, would benefit from additional time between starts.

“Mentally, she gets herself wound up,” Brown said. “I’ll talk to the owner and present some sort of plan for her. We’re not in any rush.”