Sistercharlie outruns Wild Illusion in BC Filly and Mare Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Among trainers in Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf history, Chad Brown now stands alone at the top.

At Churchill Downs in the Grade 1, $2 million Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday, he recorded his fourth victory in the race when Sistercharlie wore down favored Wild Illusion. This resulted in Brown passing three-time winner Michael Stoute, with whom he had been tied.

Despite his achievement, Brown appeared most excited after the race for Sistercharlie, who won her fourth Grade 1 of 2018 – a year that will surely earn her championship honors - in taking the Filly and Mare Turf. He noted that among all the great fillies he has trained over the past 10 years, she was elite in her ability to win Grade 1s on grass from 1 1/16 miles to as far as 1 3/8 miles, the distance of Saturday’s race.

She needed most every yard of that distance Saturday. Eighth for the first three quarters of a mile, as stablemate A Raving Beauty set a slow pace of 26.20 seconds, 51.81, and 1:18.56, she made her move on the last of three turns, and even then, needed the bulk of the Churchill Downs stretch to get in front. Still fourth with a furlong remaining, she outkicked fellow closer Wild Illusion, passing her in the closing strides under John Velazquez.

“She's all class, this horse, and she knows where the wire is,” Brown said. “She showed her heart there in the last stages.”

For Velazquez, it was his 16th Breeders’ Cup victory and record third in this race, the others coming in 2002 with Starine and in 2011 with Perfect Shirl.

A 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Myboycharlie, she completed 1 3/8 miles in 2:20.96. She paid $8.60 as the second favorite behind Wild Illusion.

It is the second victory of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup for Brown, who won the Juvenile Fillies Turf Friday with Newspaperofrecord. The Filly and Mare Turf was his 12th overall Breeders’ Cup win.

His other Filly and Mare Turf winners came in 2012 with Zagora followed by Dayatthespa in 2014 and Stephanie’s Kitten in 2015.

A Raving Beauty, stretching out in distance after winning the one-mile First Lady at Keeneland, held gamely until late, finishing three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.

Although Wild Illusion ran well in defeat in the Filly and Mare Turf, she did not stay the distance as effectively as the winner.

“Our horse is a consistent Grade 1 performer, but I feel one mile and two furlongs is really her ideal trip,” said her trainer, Charlie Appleby.

She delayed the start for a couple minutes when reluctant to load in the starting gate, though her misbehavior did not affect her performance, jockey William Buick said.

Sistercharlie and A Raving Beauty were two of five horses Chad Brown started in the race. His others failed to make an impact, with Fourstar Crook running seventh, Santa Monica 10th, and Thais 13th.

A Raving Beauty is entered to be sold at Fasig-Tipton on Sunday night, but plans call for Sistercharlie to race in 2018.

Sistercharlie’s victory provided Peter Brant, a highly successful owner in the 1980s, with his most notable victory since he resumed horse ownership in recent years after taking more than 20 years away from the sport.

Brant, who won the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Sprint with Gulch, said the game had changed from when he left, and that meant he needed to adapt. He said the key was “to associate with Chad, who is a great trainer and focused on his stable and operation.”