With red-hot Prat aboard, Deep Learning takes Chelsey Flower
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OZONE PARK, N.Y – It would not have been a reach had the connections of Deep Learning wanted to run in last week's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar following her runner-up performance in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 4.
Noting that Deep Learning had already made three starts, including a ship to Canada, and with an eye toward what they hope is a big 3-year-old season, trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman opted for a more conservative approach. On Thursday, Deep Learning put a successful cap on her 2-year-old campaign with a facile two-length victory in the $150,000 Chelsey Flower Stakes at Aqueduct.
Under white-hot Flavien Prat, Deep Learning, after saving ground the entire trip, found running room turning for home, took over from pacesetting Candy Moonshine in midstretch, and drew away handily. Bella Knows, under Junior Alvarado, won a three-way photo for second by a nose over Candy Moonshine.
It was a neck to Tideoftime in fourth. Fille d'Oro and Fitz Right completed the order of finish. Getting Serious acted up in the starting gate and was scratched by the stewards on the advice of the track veterinarian.
The victory was the second of what would become four in a row for Prat, who ended up 4 for 7 Thursday. On Sunday, Prat set a New York Racing Association record with seven wins on one card, going 7 for 10 – including a streak of six straight.
Brown, who won his seventh Chelsey Flower – the 1 1/16-mile race had its 14th running Thursday – said the trip to Woodbine in September for the Grade 1 Natalma, where Deep Learning finished fifth, was an error. He wheeled her back in 22 days in the Miss Grillo on Oct. 4, where Deep Learning finished second to Ground Support. Brown said he didn't want to come back in four weeks, ship cross-country, and cut her back to one mile.
"It didn't feel right," Brown said about the Breeders' Cup. "After talking to Seth Klarman, we felt running her back on short rest again could possibly affect the filly. We want to have her for her 3-year-old year. She came through."
Prat said he loved the way Deep Learning won her debut at Saratoga in August. In the Natalma, Deep Learning drew an outside post in a nine-horse field and didn't have an ideal trip, finishing fifth, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. In the Miss Grillo, Deep Learning could not catch a loose-on-the-lead Ground Support, a filly who came back to run a good third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Thursday, in the Chelsey Flower, Prat had Deep Learning an up-close third, inside of Fille d'Oro and just behind Candy Moonshine and Fitz Right. Fille d'Oro went wide turning for home, while Prat waited for room and just came one path off the rail to find it. Deep Learning accelerated to and past Candy Moonshine and drew off late.
Deep Learning, a daughter of Cairo Prince, covered the distance in 1:42.64 and returned $3.56 as the odds-on choice.
"I was traveling well," Prat said. "She gave me a good run when it was time to get going and kept on going."
Just like Prat, who keeps on going to the winner's circle.
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