Brown Attempts Fifth Eatontown Win With New Runners

Trainer Chad Brown knows what it takes to win Monmouth Park's $150,000 Eatontown Stakes (G3T), picking off four editions since 2017 including each of the past two. However, should he win a fifth June 14, he will do so with a newcomer to the barn. Both his entrants, Maggie Go (ARG) from the rail and Whiskey Decision from the outside gate 7, will make their first starts for Brown and their first starts of the year. Whiskey Decision spent the 2024 season in the barn of Arnaud Delacour for her owners and breeders, Frederick Hertrich III and John Fielding. She went 3-for-7 during a 3-year-old season that included a stakes win in the Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park. After being sent west for the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) in the summer, where she finished sixth after being involved in the pace, she failed to launch a strong enough rally in her psst two starts. Off since finishing fifth in the Nov. 8 Pebbles Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack, Whiskey Decision returned to the work tab in late March and has been breezing weekly since May 3 at Saratoga Race Course in preparation for her return. Maggie Go on the other hand has a steeper task of adjusting to American racing. The Argentinian group 2 winner's layoff falls just shy of one year since she was second in the Estrellas Juvenile Fillies (G1), her second group 1 placing in her native country. Owned now by Michael Dubb, Andrew Rosen, John Stuart, and Michael Caruso, the 4-year-old Winning Prize (ARG) filly made her first American work tab appearance April 28 at three furlongs and has been recording half-mile works every week since on the Belmont Park dirt training track. While the Brown runners will be wildcards off the bench, Ozara (IRE) enters in good form for trainer Miguel Clement off a victory in Gulfstream Park's Monroe Stakes at the same 1 1/16-mile distance she faces Saturday. It was the Cheyenne Stable's filly's second win in three starts this year. Also exiting stakes company are Merry Fox Stables' Five Towns (GB), fourth beaten one length in the May 3 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2T), and Damaso, fourth in the local Miss Liberty Stakes. Brown Seeks Eighth Monmouth Stakes Win On the male side, eight runners are entered for 1 1/8 miles on the turf course in the $150,000 Monmouth Stakes. Brown has also dominated this race, which was downgraded from grade 3 to listed status this year, by winning seven of the past nine editions. His chance at an eighth victory rests solely on Klaravich Stables' Redistricting (GB). The twice graded stakes-placed son of Kingman (GB) was most recently sixth, beaten just 1 1/2 lengths, in the Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs. Three of his rivals exit the local Cliff Hanger Stakes May 24, which Otago won by a half-length over Highestdistinction. Graham Motion saddles French group 3 winner Atlast (FR) for his American debut.