Trainer Chad Brown looks to continue his dominance in the $750,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T) as he attempts to win his fourth edition in a row May 4 at Churchill Downs. The trainer sends three postward.
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Michael Kisber's Chili Flag leads Brown's trio after a neck victory in the March 2 Honey Fox Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.
Video: Honey Fox S. (G3T)
Since joining Brown's barn in the winter of 2023 after beginning her career in Europe, the daughter of Cityscape has only missed the board once in eight starts; a 2 1/2-length defeat when sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2T) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 27.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has been in the saddle for five of her U.S. starts, and returns aboard the 5-year-old mare Saturday.
Brown also saddles Juddmonte's Coppice, who makes her U.S. debut. In her last start, the Oct. 7 Sun Chariot Stakes (G1) at Newmarket, Coppice finished fourth, beaten six lengths.
A winner of four of eight lifetime starts, the 4-year-old daughter of Kingman has won half of her six starts at the one-mile distance and has twice been ridden to victory by Frankie Dettori, who joins her again for her stateside unveiling.
Brown's final chance is William Lawrence and Three Chimneys Farm's Delahaye, a 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro who has won each of her last three starts.
Her stakes debut was a winning one March 23 as she stalked the pace and posted a career-high 104 Equibase Speed Figure for her three-quarter-length victory in the Tom Benson Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Live Contenders to End the Streak
The last time Brown did not win this race, it was trainer Brad Cox who found the winner's circle with Beau Recall in two consecutive years (2019-20). This year, Cox will try to reclaim the top spot with Miacomet Farm's Heavenly Sunday.
No stranger to the Kentucky Derby (G1) weekend festivities, Heavenly Sunday won the Edgewood Stakes (G2T) in wire-to-wire fashion last year. The daughter of Candy Ride returns from a 5 1/2-month layoff since winning the off-the-turf Mrs. Revere Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs Nov. 24. Heavenly Sunday is cross-entered in the May 3 Modesty Stakes (G3T).
Also returning from a layoff, this one of seven months, is Evvie Jets, who races for The Estate of Robert J. Amendola. A two-time graded stakes winner, the Twirling Candy mare completed her 5-year-old campaign in 2023 with a respectable third in the Oct. 7 First Lady Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland behind turf stars Gina Romantica and In Italian.
Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran's Ag Bullet breaks from the rail in search of her third straight victory. Since joining the Richard Baltas barn this winter following an 11-month layoff, Ag Bullet is 2-for-2. Also a daughter of Twirling Candy, Ag Bullet won the 6 1/2-furlong Monrovia Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park in her last start April 6. The filly is cross-entered in the May 3 Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G3T).
The Churchill Distaff Turf Mile is race 7 with a post time of 1:56 p.m. ET.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 4, 2024, Race 7Entries: Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Ag Bullet (KY) Junior Alvarado 118 Richard Baltas 5/1 2 2Walkathon (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Ian R. Wilkes 10/1 3 3Chili Flag (FR) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Chad C. Brown 4/1 4 4Ascendancy (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 118 O. J. Jauregui 30/1 5 5Cairo Consort (KY) Joel Rosario 118 Todd A. Pletcher 8/1 6 6Delahaye (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Chad C. Brown 8/1 7 7Evvie Jets (KY) Umberto Rispoli 120 Mertkan Kantarmaci 6/1 8 8Heavenly Sunday (KY) Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 6/1 9 9Not So Close (KY) Luis Saez 118 Norm W. Casse 20/1 10 10Infinite Diamond (KY) Keith J. Asmussen 118 Patrick L. Biancone 20/1 11 11Coppice (GB) Lanfranco Dettori 118 Chad C. Brown 5/1 12 12Mission of Joy (ON) John R. Velazquez 118 H. Graham Motion 10/1
