Partisan Politics gives Brown another turf stakes

The beat goes on this fall for Chad Brown, who continued his domination of Belmont Park’s turf stakes by sending out Partisan Politics to win Monday’s $200,000 Pebbles Stakes over Devine Aida.

Brown, who had already accounted for the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, Flower Bowl and Hill Prince at the meet, also sent out third-place finisher Consumer Credit in the Pebbles. A third Brown entrant, Light in Paris, who was off slowly and finished last of eight in her United States debut.

The pace in the one-mile Pebbles was solid. Isabella Sings broke sharply from the rail and set fractions of 22.96, 45.90 and 1:10.13, with Devine Aida giving chase right from the start.

Devine Aida and Partisan Politics rallied past the pacesetter in tandem to vie for the lead into the upper stretch, and Partisan Politics pulled away late under Javier Castellano to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Devine Aida finished another 1 1/2 lengths in front of Consumer Credit, who overtook a tiring Isabella Sings for third.

“The pace was pretty quick and it set up perfect for my horse,” said Castellano. “She’s the kind of horse you need to be in good position and going strong. She finished really well.”

A slight favorite, Partisan Politics ($7) ran one mile in 1:34.43 on a firm Widener turf course, and earned $120,000 for her first win since the P.G. Johnson as a 2-year-old last year.

“She was really more strung out than I initially thought, but she got a good pace to run at today and it was nice to get the win,” said Brown. “She prefers to have a target to run at and she might’ve made the lead a little soon, but (Castellano) stayed after her and she finished off the race real well.”