Gulfstream: Brown seeks first Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) Victory

By David Joseph —-

Brown seeks first Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) Victory
After two tough losses the last two years, trainer looks for redemption

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Last Saturday at Gulfstream Park trainer Chad Brown recorded an amazing sixth consecutive victory in the Sweetest Chant (G3). This Saturday last year’s Eclipse Award winning conditioner takes aim on a race that hasn’t been as kind to him, the $350,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1).

In the last two runnings, Brown-trained horses suffered narrow defeats in the 1 1/8-mile race for 4 year olds and up. Slumber, the 2015 favorite, lost by a nose to Mshawish. Last year, Brown’s Shining Copper was beaten a neck after leading the field until he was collared by Lukes Alley in the shadow of the wire.

For this year’s 31st running, Brown has entered Shadwell Stable’s Almanaar, and Beach Patrol, who is owned in partnership by James Covello, Sheep Pond Partners and Head of Plains Partners LLC. The Brown duo are among eight entered, including the race’s defending champion, Lukes Alley.

Beach Patrol is the most accomplished of the Brown runners. The 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid earned nearly $700,000 during his sophomore campaign. The highlight of last year for Beach Patrol’s connections was his victory in the Secretariat (G1) at Arlington International Racecourse. He also finished either second or third in four other graded stakes attempts. He hasn’t competed since a runner-up finish in the Hollywood Derby (G1) at Del Mar Dec. 3.

“I freshened him up a little bit. He’s been breezing nicely at Palm Meadows,” Brown said “It’s his first start of the year, and it’s a little bit hard to come off a bit of a break into a Grade 1 and face older horses for the first time, but I think he is a really talented horse. I think a mile and an eighth is perfect for him. He’s a really neat horse to be around; he has a lot of class.”

Brown said the key to a good performance from Beach Patrol, who will be ridden by Florent Geroux from post 4, is a good start.

“I think what we have learned with Beach Patrol is him getting a clean break. If the horse can get a clean break and be very forwardly placed, that is where he prefers to do his running,” he said.

Almanaar is coming off a second-place in the 1 1/16-mile Ft. Lauderdale (G2), where he was beaten a neck by Flatlined, who is among his rivals on Saturday.

A group 3 winner in France, Almanaar seeks his first win in the United States. Last year at Belmont Park, the son of Dubawi finished fourth and then third in a pair of allowance optional claimers.

“The horse has really hit his stride now and is training exceptionally well,” Brown said. “I thought his last race was very good and I think the added distance here will help him. I think if there is a stronger pace in front of him it also will help him.”

Joel Rosario has the mount on Almanaar who drew post 2.

Gunpowder Farms’ Divisdero finished third, beaten one length by Flatlined, as the favorite in the Fort Lauderdale. It was a super effort considering it was his first start since June, he was washy in the post parade, and ran wide, particularly in the stretch.

“He really ran well last time,” Divisdero’s trainer, Buff Bradley, said. “He didn’t have the best of trips like the two in front of him. He was wide and on a course like this, it’s tough … the turns are tighter. I’m hoping for a little better trip and with stretching out to a mile and an eighth that will help him as well and hopefully it will spread the horses out a little bit.

“He was very good in the paddock, which we worked on,” he added, referring to schooling sessions in the paddock before the Fort Lauderdale. “But when he got with the pony, he became a little bit washy. We’ll have a different plan with the pony this time, after the post parade. He’ll be with the pony through the post parade and may go to the backside and hang out there by himself.”

Edgar Prado, Divisidero’s regular pilot, has the mount from post 6.

The Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap’s 120-pound high weight, Flatlined, posted a 15-1 upset in the Fort Lauderdale. Ridden by Joe Bravo, who has the return mount, the 5-year-old gelding was moved off the rail and split horses in the stretch and was up just in time for a neck victory over Almanaar.

“When he came back to the winner’s circle, Joe said, ‘I knew we had him at the top of the stretch.’ And I said, ‘Are you crazy? I didn’t know it until the wire,’ trainer Scooter Dickey said. “Joe said he was a monster that day. He just needs room to run and he’ll give it to you at the end.”

Also entered are the Todd Pletcher-trained All Included, who finished third in this race last year, and stablemate Eirigh, who won an allowance race at Tampa last month in his first start for the trainer.

All Included prepped for this assignment by finishing second in an allowance race here Jan. 15. It was his first start since April of 2016.

“He’s run some really good races, just sometimes he has some trouble finishing it off and he sometimes has gone through phases where he gets a little intimidated inside and some different things like that, but I think he’s generally pretty honest and gives you want he has,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said he liked what he saw in Eirigh’s initial race for his stable, which was the horse’s first race since November 2015.

“We were pleased with the effort and he has been training well,” Pletcher said. “I thought the race was good; he got in a little bit of trouble and kind of got held up a bit in a short field and then he put in a nice closing kick. I was very encouraged by his effort off a fairly long layoff.”

The race’s defending champ, the 7-year-old Lukes Alley, is winless in two starts since last year’s Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. In the Ft. Lauderdale, he encountered some trouble in the final furling and finished seventh, beaten less than three lengths.

Rounding out the field is the Christophe Clement-trained War Correspondent, a 7-year-old son of War Front. He finished third in the 2015 edition of this race, and also won the Appleton Handicap (G3) that same year.

Cover Photo: Chad Brown; Gulfstream File Photo

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets.