Surge Capacity gives Brown fifth straight Lake George victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Chad Brown continued his dominance of the $175,000 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga with a flourish Friday, sending out Surge Capacity and Tax Implications to finish first and second, respectively, for his fifth consecutive win and seventh victory overall in the Grade 3 fixture for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.

The top two finishers are both owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables.

Brown, who entered five horses in the one-mile Lake George, including three for Klarman, had to sweat out the weather. Heavy showers during the morning hours prompted management to take the other four scheduled grass races on the card off the turf while a second storm, forecast for early afternoon, fortunately did not materialize.

Surge Capacity, a Klaravich Stables homebred by Flintshire, entered the Lake George Stakes the least experienced member of the field. In her only previous start, she registered a game 1 1/2-length maiden special weight victory going a mile and one sixteenth over firm turf at Monmouth Park on June 10.

With Joel Rosario aboard, Surge Capacity broke well, then was snugged about four lengths off the early leader while saving ground down the backstretch. She remained near the inside entering the stretch, found ample room near the rail to stick her head in front of pacesetter Secret Money near midstretch, and then continued gamely to hold off Tax implications by three-quarters of a length.

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Tax Implications raced well placed while lapped on Surge Capacity for six furlongs, swung wide rallying off the turn, continued gamely down the center of the course through the final furlong, and was able to run down Secret Money for second although unable to reach the winner.

Secret Money turned in a game effort before succumbing grudgingly through the final furlong to finish third.

Brown also sent out the fourth- and fifth-place finishers, Revalita and 2-1 favorite Liguria. The latter made a menacing run outside horses to reach close contention on the final turn only to flatten out down the lane.

Brown’s fifth entrant in the Lake George, Klaravich Stables’ Utilization Rate, was scratched earlier in the day, as was Queen Picasso.

Surge Capacity, completed the distance in 1:38.00 over the yielding course. She was the longest price of Brown’s four starters, returning $13.

“She got a big number in her first start and had several big works [since her maiden win], we circled this race and we liked her here,” Brown said when asked about his decision to run Surge Capacity in a Grade 3 race off a maiden win. “I had no feel for this horse, how she would handle the soft turf. I had more confidence in Tax Implications and Revalita. The first two finishers handled it fine and I’m proud of them.

“I’m also very happy for Seth Klarman, he’s a guy that supports our business quite a bit and it’s nice to win this race for him again.”

Brown, who trained Surge Capacity’s sire Flintshire and her dam Strong Incentive, said he would consider trying the undefeated filly on the dirt down the road.

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“This filly was the one I was going to run if the race came off [the turf],” said Brown. “She has never trained badly on the dirt. I’m not saying I’ll put her there off this, but she might be a pretty versatile horse and the female family is all dirt

As for Liguria, who had won three of her previous four starts, including a pair of stakes, Brown felt the softer course likely compromised her chances.

“Generally the War Fronts I’ve trained like firm turf,” said Brown. “I think that was her excuse today. Flavien [Prat] said she traveled well until he gave her her head and then she was struggling with the ground.”

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