Robert Bruce, Sistercharlie among host of workers for Brown

ELMONT, N.Y. – Fresh off his five-win Saturday at Belmont Park, trainer Chad Brown sent out a bevy of horses for workouts Sunday morning for upcoming stakes engagements.

Robert Bruce, the Arlington Million winner, worked five furlongs in 1:01.33 over the Belmont turf as he prepares for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. Robert Bruce went in company with Almanaar, the Million runner-up, who is being pointed to the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 6.

The pair got their final quarter in 23.36 seconds and were heads apart on the wire. Robert Bruce was a Group 1 winner at the Hirsch distance of 1 1/2 miles in Chile but will be trying that distance for the first time in the U.S. in the Hirsch.

“I’m confident he’ll step up at a mile and a half,” Brown said. “We’ll have to see.”

Sistercharlie, the Beverly D. winner, returned to the work tab Sunday, breezing a half-mile in 49.02 seconds in company with A Raving Beauty. Brown said Saturday he is leaning toward skipping the Grade 1 Flower Bowl on Oct. 7 and training Sistercharlie up to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3, but on Sunday, he said he would reserve a final decision pending her workout next weekend. Sistercharlie had missed a scheduled workout last weekend due to a bruised foot.

“She worked quite well,” Brown said. “I’m giving myself a bit of a window here that if I choose, and she comes back and works strong next week, I could end up in the race. I’m not sure yet. I just want to evaluate her work and see how much fitness she’s lost, if any.”

A Raving Beauty is being pointed to the Grade 1 First Lady, as is Off Limits, who worked five furlongs in 1:01.49 in company with Fourstar Crook, who is pointing to the Flower Bowl.

Dogtag, winner of the P.G. Johnson, and Newspaperofrecord, a most impressive maiden winner at Saratoga, went five furlongs together in 1:01.60 over the Belmont turf. Both are pointing to next Sunday’s Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes, a race Brown has won in five of the past six years.