It's brother versus brother in Dan Horn Handicap

It’s brother against brother in Saturday’s Dan Horn Handicap, one of three $75,000 stakes for New Jersey-breds on the closing card of the Meadowlands-at-Monmouth meeting.

In a rarity, a pair of half-brothers, Regally Irish and Irish Mias, and a pair of full brothers, Saucy Don and Saucy Derek, will face off in the Dan Horn at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The card also includes two stakes for fillies and mares, the Smart N Classy at a mile on the dirt and the Pinot Grigio for turf sprinters.

Regally Irish and Irish Mias, uncoupled in the wagering, are trained by Graham Motion for their breeder, Isabelle de Tomaso. Regally Irish, a 4-year-old Regal Ransom gelding, and Irish Mias, a 3-year-old Sky Mesa gelding, are both out of the Even the Score mare Irish Score, a half-sister to de Tomaso’s classic-placed Irish War Cry.

Irish Mias, winner of the 2019 Laurel Futurity, is winless in five starts this year. He will be getting class relief Saturday, having made all those outings in open company, including three in graded stakes. He was most recently third in a Belmont allowance.

Regally Irish, winner of the Bridgetown Stakes in 2019 at Aqueduct, also is looking for his first win of the season. His only on-the-board effort came when third in the New Jersey Breeders’ Handicap two starts back.

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Ten-year-old Saucy Don and 4-year-old Saucy Derek are both by Don Six and out of the Belong to Me mare Saucy Broad. Saucy Derek is still owned by their breeder, Patricia Generazio. He is making his stakes debut for trainer Luis Carvajal Jr., after winning his maiden three starts back.

Saucy Don won a pair of stakes, including the Dan Horn, back in 2015, and has placed in five other stakes in a long career. He has changed hands via the claim box several times, most recently being claimed by current owner Taimi Viera Rivero and trainer Riquelvis Grullon in September. He is winless in 13 starts this year.

The Dan Horn’s highweight and likely favorite is defending winner Golden Brown, trained by Patrick McBurney. Weighted at 124 pounds under Joe Bravo – who has live mounts in all three Saturday stakes – he gives between two and 10 pounds to his foes.

Golden Brown has won five stakes overall, including the Grade 3 Kent two years ago, and has placed in four others. He won this year’s Irish War Cry Handicap and finished second in the Charles Hesse III Handicap, earning Beyer Speed Figures of 91 and 92, respectively. Those are the top numbers in the field this year. Most recently, he ventured back into deeper company, finishing third in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile, his only unplaced effort of the year.

Earlier on the card, the Smart N Classy rematches the top three from an optional-claiming race Sept. 20 at Monmouth – Stay Smart, Groovy Surprise, and Crazy Daisy. Stay Smart will have Bravo in the irons for trainer Kelly Breen.

Crazy Daisy finished second in last year’s edition of this race to Horologist, a multiple graded stakes winner who is currently bound for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Lil Miss Moppet steps up to stakes for the first time in the card’s finale, the Pinot Grigio. Bravo has the call on the Peter Miller trainee, who has won three straight races at Monmouth by a combined 14 1/4 lengths.

Bramble Bay, who has not missed the board this year, is looking for her second stakes score of the season. After winning the Jersey Girl Handicap in July – over I’m Listening, who is back for the Pinot Grigio – the filly won an optional-claiming race over next-out winner Diamond Play. She most recently finished second against open company in an allowance.