You could say it was business as usual for Chad Brown in the July 18 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, but that would be making light of his extraordinary accomplishments in the race which he won for a record-extending 11th time.
And just to underscore his dominance in the turf race, Brown also trained the second-, third-, and fifth-place finishers from his quadrant of starters in the 1 1/8-mile contest.
The trainer's leading lady in the $500,000 Diana was the half-length winner Kathynmarissa, ridden by Jose Ortiz. Finishing second for the five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer was the race's pacesetter Segesta. It was another 2 1/4 lengths to the Brown-trained Portfolio Duration in third. His Dynamic Pricing finished fifth in the seven-horse field of older fillies and mares.
Owned by Michael Caruso and Michael Dubb, Kathynmarissa, a daughter of American Pharoah out of the Milt's Overture mare La Dalila, a group 1 winner in South America, was bred by Don Alberto Corp.
It was the first grade 1 victory for Kathynmarissa in what was her fourth start for Brown. Earlier in her career she was trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. and was grade 1-placed while in his care.
Dubb, who led the bay mare he co-owns into the winner's circle, said the 5-year-old was named for bankers who "are very special to me." Kathy Flock and Marissa Magnuson did the loan when Dubb, a well-known real estate developer, redeveloped the upscale Adelphi Hotel and condominiums in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
"I never dreamt I could win a race like the Diana. I've won other big races at Saratoga—won the Spinaway three times, but the Diana is in a league of its own, it really is. God bless Chad, he knows what he is doing. I never question him. All I do is pay bills and show up."
For the 47-year-old Brown, who began training in late 2007, this was his fifth consecutive Diana score.
"To have a one, two, three in this race, a race we have a lot of success in, in my area, I give a lot of credit to my team," the future Hall of Fame trainer said. "Four fillies in this race, three of them ran really well and it takes a lot of different tasks daily, executed perfectly, to bring the horses into the Diana every year this way—and they do it."
Segesta scooted to the early lead under Dylan Davis and set pedestrian fractions of :23.92, :50.42, 1:15.75, and 1:39.70 over the rain-soaked turf which was listed as yielding.
The winner came from the back of the pack with a sustained wide rally in the stretch to collar her stablemate in the final steps, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.42 and paying $6.58 to win as the post-time favorite.
Ortiz said, "She gave me a great turn of foot."
The Diana victory elevated Kathynmarissa's career earnings to $1,940,745 from a record of 6-2-3 in 14 starts.
The Kentucky-bred was bought by HR Bloodstock for $200,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment.
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