Saratoga: Brown enters talented trio in Diana

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It is understandable why Chad Brown may have a soft spot in his heart for the Diana Stakes after posting the first Grade 1 win of his training career in the filly-and-mare turf fixture two summers ago with Zagora.

On Wednesday, Brown entered half the field for this year’s renewal of the Diana – Dream Peace, Dayatthespa, and Samitar. They are part of a compact but extremely talented lineup that also includes Stephanie’s Kitten, Laughing, and Centre Court.

Brown said shortly after the Diana draw that he is uncertain which horses in the trio would start, although he did not rule out running all three Saturday.

“I don’t know what I’m doing yet,” Brown said. “It’s a short field. I’ve got horses that run with different types of pace styles and prefer different types of ground, so I thought the smartest thing to do was just put all three of them in, evaluate the turf conditions and the pace of the race, and see what combinations are going to give me the best chance to win. It’s not out of the question all three could start. I need to look at all the different scenarios and speak to all of the clients involved before making a final decision.”

Brown said that even though he has three of the six potential starters, he’s not likely to have the favorite in the race, although he believes that under the right conditions, all three of his horses are capable of winning the 1 1/8-mile Diana.

“Samitar has won two Grade 1s, Dayatthespa has won one, and Dream Peace has placed in Grade 1s before,” Brown said. “So, obviously, on their day, all three of them can win the race.”