Past, present, and future bright for Brown stable

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chad Brown was disappointed that he did not win the Eclipse Award as leading trainer in 2014 and knows that the honor likely will go to someone else again when the 2015 winners are announced at Gulfstream Park next Saturday, Jan. 16. But Brown doesn’t need a trophy on his mantelpiece to rightfully take pride in what he and his barn have accomplished over the last two years.

Brown’s stable finished second only to Todd Pletcher’s both in earnings, with more than $20 million, and Grade 1 victories, with nine, in 2015. Three of his horses – Big Blue Kitten, Stephanie’s Kitten, and Wavell Avenue – join Brown as Eclipse Award finalists at next week’s ceremonies.

“We were disappointed not to have won the award last year because we felt we had an Eclipse Award-winning season,” said Brown. “But not winning the award doesn’t take anything away from the type of year we had. And I’m extremely honored to have three horses named as finalists, along with our stable as a whole, again this year. We’ll enjoy being part of the awards ceremonies and appreciate being named finalists. That itself is a huge accomplishment for our horses and our stable. And if we don’t win, it certainly won’t define my season, the horses’ seasons ,or their careers.”

Brown, who has won five Breeders’ Cup races over the past two years and seven overall, said he is looking forward to more of the same success in 2016.

“Each year, we’ve gained momentum from all the hard work from all my staff and the loyalty of our clients, and we’ve been lucky to continue to be able to build on that momentum from season to season,” said Brown. “And we’re already looking ahead and planning for [the Breeders’ Cup] again this year. We’ve been lucky to get there and run well on those days in the past, and we’re hoping for more of the same in 2016.”

Brown will have two of his three Eclipse Award finalists back again in 2016, along with Lady Eli, who was not named as one of the finalists in the female turf division. Lady Eli won all three of her starts last year, including the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, before being sidelined for the second half of her 3-year-old campaign by a severe case of laminitis.

Stephanie’s Kitten has been retired, but Big Blue Kitten and Wavell Avenue will be back to race this year, Brown said.

“Both Wavell Avenue and Big Blue Kitten are currently in training at Palm Meadows,” he said. “The ownership of Big Blue Kitten was sold prior to the Breeders’ Cup and officially transferred to Calumet Farm, who elected to put the horse back in training this season, for which I’m grateful. Neither he or Wavell Avenue have breezed yet, and I have no early-season objective for either. Obviously, getting back to the Breeders’ Cup with both is our ultimate goal.”

Brown said Lady Eli continues to do well on the comeback trail, although she’s still done little more than jog since arriving at Palm Meadows this winter.

“I’m really disappointed and frustrated that Lady Eli was not named an Eclipse finalist,” said Brown. “I feel she was the most talented 3-year-old filly in the country last year, has been nothing short of spectacular in all six of her starts, and may be the best horse of her crop – maybe the best of her generation – to go without an award. She won all three of her races last year, but she was really 4 for 4. Beating laminitis was her biggest win. She was reshod last week, and her feet looked absolutely normal. She’s still jogging but really moving well. I couldn’t be happier with her at the moment.”