Tu Brutus exceeds expectations to become Brooklyn contender

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Gary Contessa was given the Chilean-bred Tu Brutus to train following a private purchase, he thought he was getting a horse who could win a minor stakes race or two on either dirt or turf.

After two fantastic races – albeit one a losing effort – Tu Brutus is now a major player in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational at Belmont Park. Tu Brutus meets seven rivals, including Send It In, who ran down Tu Brutus late in the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct in April. The Brooklyn, at 1 1/2 miles, goes as race 3 (12:39 p.m. Eastern) on the 13-race card.

“I think we got the bonus plan,” Contessa said.

In the Excelsior, Tu Brutus set sharp fractions for 1 1/4 miles and still hung in at the end despite getting passed late by Send It In, losing by a half-length. For Tu Brutus, the Excelsior was his first start in four months and was Plan C after a race at Gulfstream failed to fill and one at Laurel got snowed out.

“I lost, and there were more people talking about my horse than the winner,” Contessa said. “It was fantastic to have him run that well off the bench.”

Tu Brutus followed that effort with a front-running 11-length victory in the Flat Out Stakes at Belmont going 1 3/8 miles on May 7.

“That last race didn’t take much out of him,” Contessa said.

Tu Brutus, who breaks from post 4 under Irad Ortiz Jr., will look to take the Brooklyn field gate to wire.

“I couldn’t ask for a race more devoid of speed,” said Contessa, who trains Tu Brutus for Winning Move Stable, Green Saltor Thoroughbreds, and Pine Stables. “It doesn’t really matter if there’s speed, nobody can run with him early anyway. I think he’s had enough recovery time.”

Send It In’s victory in the Excelsior was his seventh win in his last nine starts. Trainer Todd Pletcher felt that skipping the Flat Out and training up to this race was “the better option” for Send It In.

“It was a big effort. He ran down what appears to be a high-quality horse, so we’re very pleased with his continued progress,” said Pletcher, who trains Send It In for Paul Pompa Jr. “He seems like he keeps getting better and better and gives me the impression that a mile and a half should be in his range.”

War Story and Sunny Ridge appear to have the best chance of knocking off the top two. Governor Malibu, Idolo Porteno, and Doyouknowsomething round out the field.

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Brooklyn Invitational, Race 3

KEY CONTENDERS

Tu Brutus, by Scat Daddy

Last 2 Beyers: 109-118

◗ Figures to be the one to catch under Ortiz after impressive efforts in his first two North American races.

◗ Ortiz told Contessa that he might have made a tactical error in the Excelsior, keeping his horse too close to the rail, noting that South American-based horses take that as a sign that it’s time to go. Ortiz did keep Tu Brutus off the rail throughout the Flat Out.

Send It In, by Big Brown

Last 3 Beyers: 119-97-97

◗ Has turned his career around, becoming a graded-stakes winner after failing to win for maiden $40,000 claiming.

◗ Two starts back, he stumbled at the start and was farther back than typical when third behind Sunny Ridge in Stymie.

War Story, by Northern Afleet

Last 3 Beyers: 96-90-99

◗ Comes out of a third-place finish in the Charles Town Classic, beaten a half-length by stablemate Imperative. Matt King Coal, the runner-up, came back to win the Mountainview at Penn National.

“This is the best I’ve seen him train, and I think he’ll run all day,” trainer Jorge Navarro said.

◗ Picks up Javier Castellano.