Flintshire to make first start for Brown in Manhattan Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Flintshire, a Group 1 winner in three countries, will make his 6-year-old debut and his first start for trainer Chad Brown in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan Stakes on the undercard of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park.

Brown, who has had Flintshire in his care since early March, finalized his plans after watching Flintshire work five furlongs in 1:00.59 on Saturday over the Belmont turf course. Flintshire, under Javier Castellano, got his final three furlongs in 34.80 seconds over the inner turf course, which had the rails out 35 feet and a triple set of orange cones up.

Flintshire worked with Slumber, last year’s Manhattan winner, but was going much easier of the pair.

“You can’t breeze any better than that,” Brown said.

Brown had thought about having Flintshire make his first start for him in the Grade 1, $300,000 United Nations at Monmouth Park on July 3. But after watching Saturday’s breeze, he opted for the bigger prize.

Flintshire, a 1 1/2-mile specialist, hasn’t run 1 1/4-miles, the distance of the Manhattan, since he won his career debut at Chantilly in March 2013.

“First and foremost, the horse is in great form right now in the morning,” Brown said. “He’s been breezing well; every week his breezes have been stronger. I’m viewing this race as it’s a million dollars, it’s a Breeders’ Cup-caliber-type race, and we have a horse this talented and doing this well in the morning. Although he hasn’t run a mile and a quarter in a while, I don’t think it makes any sense to wait an extra three weeks and run for $300,000 where I have to ship.”

Castellano will ride Flintshire in the Manhattan.

Flintshire won a Group 1 in Paris, Hong Kong, and last year won the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga, all under the care of Andre Fabre.

Brown has three confirmed starters for the Manhattan. He will also run Big Blue Kitten, who won the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over this course last year and was second in the 2015 Manhattan, and Wake Forest, who is coming off a win the Grade 1 Man o’ War here on May 14.

Wake Forest on Saturday breezed a half-mile in 50.99 seconds in company with the mare Dacita.

Brown is also considering Money Multiplier and Slumber for the Manhattan.

Brown said Takeover Target, the Dixie Stakes winner who is nominated to the Manhattan, would make his next start in the Grade 3 Poker on June 18.

Others pointing to the Manhattan, the race run immediately preceding the Belmont Stakes, include Divisidero, Grand Tito, Havana Moon, Ironicus, Oathkeeper, Take the Stand, Triple Threat, and World Approval.

Grand Tito, who was scratched from the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic after an incident in the paddock, worked five furlongs in 1:03.01 over the Belmont turf course on Saturday.