Randomized regains winning form in Molly Pitcher Stakes
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OCEANPORT, N.J. – Winning for the first time since the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps in June 2024, Randomized looked like a Grade 1 horse in a Grade 3 race going wire to wire in the $500,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Beaten nearly 30 lengths last month in this year’s Phipps, which was contested over an inundated Saratoga surface, Randomized rebounded nicely in the Molly Pitcher, setting a solid pace under Flavien Prat, running pace rival Dorth Vader off her feet, then turning back a mild bid from Majestic Oops to post a three-length victory.
Prat, riding Randomized for the first time, wasted no time letting his quick mount run to the lead. John Velazquez aboard Dorth Vader seemed equally intent on not letting Randomized get an easy lead, pushing her through a half-mile split of 47.25. The third quarter went in a quick 23.73 and through the first part of the far turn, you’d have thought Velazquez, motionless, was sitting on more horse than Prat. Prat, though, said his niggling at the reins merely was meant to keep Randomized engaged, and at the quarter pole, as Randomized made a dash into the stretch, it was Dorth Vader who caved. Majestic Oops, hard ridden while wide around the bend, made inroads on the pacesetter going past the three-sixteenths marker, but Prat floated her wide and Randomized found much more than her pursuer.
“That’s just her,” Prat said. “She’s quick. She has that high cruising speed.”
Majestic Oops, tiring from her bid, barely held second over a rail-surging Candied, who had a half-length on fourth-place Dorth Vader. Occult finished a distant fifth and Chilled was eased across the wire. Inspected immediately by a regulatory veterinarian, Chilled walked off the track without issue.
Randomized ($6) completed the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:42.75 (98 Beyer Speed Figure).
Chad Brown trains Randomized for Klaravich Stable. A 5-year-old by Nyquist out of French Passport, by Elusive Quality, lightly raced Randomized won for the sixth time in 13 starts and now has banked more than $1.7 million.
Following her defeat of champion Idiomatic in last year’s Phipps, Randomized ran below form in the Personal Ensign in August and didn’t start again until the La Troienne in May at Churchill Downs. A competitive third there, she failed to come close to her preferred spot on the lead in the June 6 Phipps. Saturday, Randomized got where she wanted to be and, after a long break, got back into the win column.
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