Rymska gives Brown sixth straight win in Sweetest Chant

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chad Brown might not own the Sweetest Chant, but he sure has had a long-term lease.

Brown was the winning trainer again Saturday in the 26th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Sweetest Chant when Rymska stormed down the center of the Gulfstream Park turf course to win by three-quarters of a length over Compelled. Remarkably, it was the sixth straight year Brown has won the one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

“We’ve been lucky to have horses good enough to win,” said Brown, the 2016 Eclipse Award winner for outstanding trainer.

Rymska, with Joel Rosario up, had only two of her eight opponents beat when the Sweetest Chant field straightened for home. Wheeling out for a clear run, the French-bred filly then flew home, finishing in 1:35.04 over a firm course, with her final furlong timed in less than 12 seconds.

Compelled, who had taken command leaving the eighth pole, held second by a nose over another late-closing filly, Fifty Five.

Rymska returned $4.20 as favorite after winning for the first time in three starts in the United States. Sheep Pond Partners is among the owners who purchased interest in the filly last fall, with original owner Alain Jathiere retaining part. She was second in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo, then fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf before being regrouped on being sent to Brown’s winter base at the Palm Meadows training center.

“She’s had a tremendous winter,” Brown said. “She’s really a good filly. I thought maybe the mile would be a touch short for her, but her talent overcame it. We’re excited about her.”

The $2 exacta (7-3) paid $14.40, the $1 trifecta (7-3-9) returned $56, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-3-9-2) was worth $20.48.

Brown’s previous winners in the Sweetest Chant were Dayatthespa (2012), Premier Steps (2013), Ready to Act (2014), Consumer Credit (2015), and Pricedtoperfection (2016).