Practical Joke, Favorable Outcome to represent Brown in Champagne

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown will have two runners in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne on Saturday in Hopeful winner Practical Joke and Favorable Outcome.

Those two horses worked in company Sunday, going five furlongs in 1:01.71 over the Belmont Park training track. The two got their final quarter in 24.81 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:15.19 over a track labeled “good.”

“Both horses worked terrific,” Brown said. “I’m really happy with both.”

Javier Castellano will ride Favorable Outcome, a maiden winner, while Joel Rosario will take over for Irad Ortiz Jr. on Practical Joke.

As of Monday, only three others were confirmed for the Champagne: Syndergaard, Big Gray Rocket, and Lookin At Blessing.

The Champagne, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Flower Bowl top Saturday’s card at Belmont. In other stakes Saturday:

◗ A short field is likely for the Grade 1 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez is planning to run Colorful Charades and Libby’s Tail. Todd Pletcher will run Nonna Mela, the winner of the Grade 2 Adirondack, and trainer Rick Violette will run maiden winner Sky Gesture.

◗ Pletcher could run as many as three in the Grade 2, $350,000 Kelso Handicap at a mile on dirt – Anchor Down, Protonico, and Tommy Macho. Also expected are Point Piper, Tamarkuz, Upstart, and possibly Baccelo, who finished third in Sunday’s Temperence Hill Stakes at Belmont.

◗ Brown is planning to run Annals of Time, Beach Patrol, and Camelot Kitten in Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince for 3-year-olds on turf. Expected to join them are American Patriot, Berliner, Monster Bea, Strike Midnight, and possibly Inspector Lynley.

◗ Pure Sensation is expected to head the field for the inaugural $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational. Pure Sensation, the winner of the Grade 3 Jaipur and Grade 3 Parx Dash, missed a stakes at Parx due to a foot issue.

Ready for Rye will return to turf after running last in the Grade 1 Forego on dirt at Saratoga. Others expected include Conquest Enforcer, Disco Partner, Green Mask, Long On Value, Power Alert, and Spring the Sky.