Pacific Wind has first stakes win with Ruffian

Pacific Wind had a productive 3-year-old season in California last year, but she has upped her game since being transferred to trainer Chad Brown in Florida over the winter.

She shipped north from the Palm Meadows Training Center to Keeneland in early April and looked good winning a second-level optional-claiming race at a mile by more than eight lengths. On Sunday at Belmont Park, she took another step forward by earning her initial stakes victory in the Grade 2, $250,000 Ruffian.

Pacific Wind is a 4-year-old daughter of Curlin who was purchased for $200,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale by Joe Ciaglia, who now owns her in partnership with Peter Brant, Sharon Alesia, and Dominic Savides.

At 3, Pacific Wind won a debut maiden race at Santa Anita, was stakes placed on turf in the Grade 2 Honeymoon and Grade 3 Senorita, and won a first-level allowance race.

On Sunday, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. was content to let Pacific Wind settle off the pace in the mile dirt race for fillies and mares. Faypien set the pace on a short lead ahead of Unchained Melody, with Highway Star stalking in third.

On the far turn, Unchained Melody, who was making her first start since Saratoga, turned up the heat on Faypien, and Highway Star moved up three wide while still in hand by jockey Angel Arroyo.

Nearing the stretch, Ortiz angled out Pacific Wind four wide and began to advance. Highway Star came away with the lead entering the stretch and held about a 1 1/2-length advantage over Pacific Wind nearing the furlong pole.

But Pacific Wind proved the stronger of the two and edged away to a one-length victory.

"I broke good and got a nice trip," Ortiz said. "I waited there, just following horses. When I got in the clear, I asked her and she took off."

Pacific Wind stopped the timer in 1:36.22 and returned $5 as the favorite in the five-horse field.

"We were cautiously optimistic she could step up in a race of this caliber," Brown said. "Cutting back to one turn was a little bit of a concern. But she got a favorable setup in front of her. She showed her versatility running at one turn today. She showed a real good closing kick."

Highway Star held second by a half-length over Tequilita, who rallied from last. Faypien and Unchained Melody finished fourth and fifth.