Dunbar Road a commanding winner in Alabama Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown thought enough of Dunbar Road that he desperately wanted to run her in the Kentucky Oaks back in May off just two career races.

The Oaks, limited to 14 horses, overfilled and Dunbar Road was left on the also eligible list along with Point of Honor. There were no defections from the Oaks and both horses had to scratch and plot out a course to get to their next major objective, Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.

The two fillies had to wait a little longer due to what seemingly has become an annual occurrence at Saratoga – a severe storm that delays a major stakes race and turns a beautiful day into a miserable one and a fast track into a sloppy mess.

In the end, though, Dunbar Road proved her trainer’s high regard for was accurate as, under Jose Ortiz, she splashed her way six wide in the stretch to a sensational 2 3/4-length victory in the 139th Alabama Stakes.

Point of Honor finished second, a nose in front of Street Band, who was 5 3/4 lengths clear of Off Topic. Afleet Destiny, Champagne Anyone, Ulele, and Lady Apple completed the order of finish. Kelsey’s Cross scratched due to a temperature, according to her trainer Patrick Biancone.

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The victory was the fourth from five starts for Dunbar Road, who, after failing to get into the Kentucky Oaks, won an allowance and the Grade 2 Mother Goose at Belmont Park.

“When you saw how upset I was when she didn’t get into the Kentucky Oaks off just two lifetime runs, it goes to show you what I think about her,” said Brown, who won his first Alabama. “I may not always be right, but I had a really good feeling about this horse that she belonged right at the top of the class with the long-distance 3-year-old dirt fillies in this country.”

Brown’s good feelings dissipated some when heavy rains blasted Saratoga during the running of the Grade 2 Lake Placid – which Brown also won with Regal Glory in a dead-heat with Varenka. The track went from harrowed and fast to sealed and sloppy.

Rain, accompanied by lightning, forced the field for the Alabama to stay in the paddock longer than usual and the Alabama, scheduled for 5:59 p.m., didn’t go off until 6:10 p.m.

Brown also wasn’t feeling too keen the way the Alabama was setting up. Thinking Dunbar Road could possibly be on the lead, she instead was racing a joint sixth down the backside, inside of Point of Honor.

“It wasn’t how I had drawn it up,” Brown said. “I really wasn’t feeling good down the backside – from where [Ortiz] was, how he was going to win from there.”

Ortiz said breaking from the rail he wanted the early lead, but others wanted it more. Ulele, Champagne Anyone and Lady Apple were within a half-length through an opening quarter in 24.14 seconds. Going into the first turn, Ortiz held his inside position in the second flight.

“If I got to the first turn in front, I was going to keep it,” Ortiz said. “There were three horses in front. I said 'She’s rated before.'”

Ortiz sat comfortable on Dunbar Road until the half-mile pole. That’s when Javier Castellano started to move on Point of Honor. Around the turn, Ortiz and Dunbar Road followed them. Point of Honor came four wide into the lane, Dunbar Road was six wide.

Meanwhile, Sophie Doyle cut the corner on Street Band and was only two wide and in contention for the lead. But Dunbar Road was going best while out in the middle of the track and gradually drew clear.

Dunbar Road, a daughter of Quality Road owned by Peter Brant, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:04.07 in the slop and returned $5.50 to win.

While it was Brown’s first Alabama – and his third of four victories on Saturday’s card – it was the third straight for Ortiz, who also won it last year with Eskimo Kisses and in 2017 with Elate. For Brant, it was his second Alabama victory, the first coming 36 years ago with Spit Curl.

“For me, loving fillies like that, it’s a great, great honor to win this race,” Brant said.

George Weaver, the trainer of Point of Honor, said simply his filly was “second-best” on Saturday. Point of Honor also finished second to the Brown-trained Guarana in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks earlier in the meet.

“Chad’s got a couple of real nice fillies and just second-best today,” Weaver said. “We got our trip, we got in the clear outside where she likes to be. No excuses.”

Larry Jones, the trainer of third-place finisher Street Band, credited his jockey, Sophie Doyle, with a terrific ride.

“I thought she rode a great race, she saved ground, had the horse relaxed and made an aggressive move turning for home we just couldn’t hold them off.”