Pletcher, Brown dominated Grade 1 racing at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The fall meet at Keeneland doesn’t reach its midpoint until Wednesday, but already two of the most successful stables on the continent have satisfied their primary goals for the meet.

Between them, Todd Pletcher and Chad Brown have accounted for all but one of the meet’s six Grade 1 races – all of them run during the first seven cards at a front-loaded 17-day meet – with Pletcher winning three and Brown two.

Mark Casse, with his Wonder Wheel winning the Alcibiades on the Oct. 7 opening-day card, was the lone exception. Otherwise, it was Pletcher winning with Forte (Breeders’ Futurity), Annapolis (Coolmore Turf Mile), and Malathaat (Spinster), and Brown countering with In Italian (First Lady) and Gina Romantica (Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup).

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Aside from his two Grade 1 winners, Brown went winless with 10 other starters to open his meet, but Pletcher has been en fuego. The 2021 Hall of Fame inductee leads the trainer standings through the first eight-day stretch with a 7-for-17 record that includes a pair of first-time starters Julia Shining ($6.74) and Junipermarshmallow ($12.82) winning here Sunday in stylish fashion, both with Luis Saez aboard.

Julia Shining was a debut winner of particular note, rallying from well back going the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs and 184 feet to win by 2 3/4 lengths with a Beyer Speed Figure of 71. Bred and owned by the Stonestreet Stables of Barbara Banke, the 2-year-old filly is by Curlin out of Dreaming of Julia, making her a full sister to Malathaat, the 3-year-old champion of 2021 and a leading prospect for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff here Nov. 5.

Junipermarshmallow, a St. Elias homebred, also rallied from well off the pace before prevailing by three-quarters of a length with a 54 Beyer. The 2-year-old filly is by Quality Road.

Pletcher has won or tied for leading trainer at Keeneland on five prior occasions, his most recent title coming at the 2018 fall meet with nine wins.

Brown not only won the QE II for the fifth time Saturday, extending his own record, but Gina Romantica (91 Beyer) also gave him the 200th graded stakes win of his career. Both Gina Romantica and the QE II runner-up, the Brown-trained McKulick, are likely through for the year, with both to head to Florida to prepare for 4-year-old campaigns.

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