Sistercharlie probable for Beverly D. in three weeks

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When looking at the schedule of preferred races for Sistercharlie, trainer Chad Brown naturally sees the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes on Oct. 7 at Belmont Park as a logical spot.

But the 78 days between the Diana, which Sistercharlie won by a nose over Ultra Brat on Saturday at Saratoga, and the Flower Bowl are less than ideal. Thus, Brown is likely to wheel Sistercharlie back in three weeks and run her in the Grade 1, $600,000 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 11.

“Right now we’re planning on going if the horse comes out of it in good shape,” Brown said Sunday morning. “She’ll have one little piece of work in between and if I think her energy level’s good and she’s sound and doing well I’m inclined to go.”

Brown had a similar dilemma last year with Lady Eli, who won the Diana then came back five weeks later to win the Ballston Spa at Saratoga. Lady Eli ultimately skipped the Flower Bowl and went right to the Breeders’ Cup.

Brown would like to run Sistercharlie in the Beverly D., the Flower Bowl and then the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

“If we could run her six times this year, that would be preferred,” Brown said.

In giving Brown his third consecutive Diana victory, Sistercharlie ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:46.26 and earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure. In three starts this year, she has won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley and the Diana and was beaten a head by stablemate Fourstar Crook in the Grade 2 New York. Fourstar Crook is also expected to run in the Beverly D.

A Raving Beauty, a troubled third in the Diana, could make her next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Ballston Spa here on Aug. 25. A Raving Beauty had to steady off heels at the top of the land and was only beaten three-quarters of a length in the Diana. Brown, pending discussions with the owners of A Raving Beauty, is considering the Ballston Spa and then the Grade 1 First Lady, a mile race at Keeneland on Oct. 6.

Brown will also talk to owner Bob Edwards about what could be next for New Money Honey, who finished a disappointing sixth in the Diana.
“I’ll freshen her a little bit, we’ll try again,” Brown said. “I think she’s still a competitive horse, it just wasn’t her day yesterday.”