Once again, Brown strong with juvenile turf runners

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown has done quite well in the Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds on turf and appears headed back this year with a pair of nice prospects.

Brown won Wednesday’s P.G. Johnson Stakes with the 2-year-old filly Partisan Politics and came back Thursday to win the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes with Startup Nation.

Partisan Politics, a daughter of More Than Ready, won the P.G. Johnson by 2 3/4 lengths and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 78. Startup Nation, a New York-bred son of Temple City, won the With Anticipation Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths and earned a Beyer of 85.

Brown said he would point them to their respective Breeders’ Cup races, with each getting one start before then.

“I haven’t been following the entire country to see what’s out there for juveniles on the turf, and I’m sure some haven’t even run yet,” Brown said. “But for what’s run already, I’d say these horses are as good as I’ve seen out there. Time will tell, but I wouldn’t trade them with anybody.”

Belmont Park has the Pilgrim and Miss Grillo – Grade 3 stakes for males and females, respectively – on Sept. 28. Keeneland has the $250,000 Dixiana Bourbon for males Oct. 5 and the Jessamine for females Oct. 8.

Last year, Brown won the Miss Grillo, Pilgrim, and Jessamine.

Brown won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with Maram. Last year, Testa Rossi finished second in the Juvenile Fillies Turf for Brown. In 2012, Brown ran second and third in the Juvenile Turf, and last year, he finished third in that race.