Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown's barn at Saratoga Race Course was dressed up with the flower blankets from a trio of winning fillies on Saturday's Travers Day card thanks to stellar performances from Ways and Means in the Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina, Fully Subscribed in the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign and Naomis in the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid. All three fillies were piloted to victory by Flavien Prat, who won five races on the 14-race card.
Ways and Means, owned by Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, continued her tremendous form at the Spa, where she has won 6-of-7 starts, with a 5 1/2-length romp in the Ballerina, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. The winning effort returned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure. In victory, she earned a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in October at Keeneland after which she is likely to be offered at public auction.
"It was a very special result. She's got six wins in seven starts at Saratoga, that's just a remarkable career that's coming to an end soon," Brown said. "To do that on Travers day with the Klarmans here and my family here, with a horse that's really become our barn favorite through the years, and to shine on Travers Day like that was special."
Ways and Means, a Kentucky homebred, is by the Brown-trained Practical Joke, a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire campaigned by Klaravich Stables in partnership with William H. Lawrence. Practical Joke's Grade 1 scores include the 2016 Hopeful and 2017 H. Allen Jerkens at the Spa, as well as the 2016 Champagne at Belmont Park. Ways and Means is out of the Klaravich Stables and Lawrence-campaigned Warrior's Reward mare Strong Incentive, a maiden winner at Saratoga in 2015 for Brown who closed her brief career with a win against fellow Ontario-breds later that year in the Jammed Lovely at Woodbine.
Brown is hopeful that Ways and Means, who he noted was in good order Sunday morning, will complete her career with a win in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and cap what would surely be a Championship campaign.
Brown has won the Filly and Mare Sprint on three occasions, with Wavell Avenue in 2015 at Keeneland and twice with Goodnight Olive [2022, Keeneland; 2023, Santa Anita Park], the latter mare using the Ballerina as a springboard on both occasions [winning in 2022, running second in 2023] en route to back-to-back honors as Champion Female Sprinter.
"I think she's as good as them. Hopefully, she can stay healthy and get in that race the right way," Brown said. "She's the best looking filly that's ever come into my barn. She's got to come with one more big one in the Breeders' Cup. It's a race we've won three times, and we've had success at Keeneland."
Klaravich Stables also captured a "Win and You're In" berth to this year's Breeders' Cup with Fully Subscribed, who scored by 9 3/4-lengths in the nine-furlong Personal Ensign for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up to earn her way into the Grade 1 Distaff. The victory registered a career-best 106 Beyer.
The 4-year-old Tiz the Law chestnut entered from a half-length score over returning rival Scottish Lassie, a dual Grade 1-winner, in the Grade 2 Shuvee on July 24 here. After finishing second in a pair of Grade 1s earlier this year - to Shred the Gnar in the La Troienne at Churchill and to the reigning 2025 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Nitrogen in the Ogden Phipps presented by Ford - Brown was thrilled to see Fully Subscribed earn her first top-flight win.
"She's really stepped up and moved forward like we thought she could," Brown said. "She's put it all together finally. She's always trained really good but yesterday was a breakthrough performance."
Fully Subscribed will use either the nine-furlong Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame on September 25 at Belmont Park or the nine-furlong Grade 1, $650,000 [$150,000 KTDF] Spinster on October 3 at Keeneland as a bridge to the Breeders' Cup.
Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Thirty Year Racing and Michael J. Caruso's Naomis closed from last-of-8 to make her stateside debut a winning one with a stunning half-length score in the Grade 2 Lake Placid, a one-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies. She earned an 88 Beyer.
"I wasn't sure there was enough real estate to get there at a mile, but that was some quick turn of foot. She had trained like she had a lot of promise," Brown said.
Naomis had initially been considered for the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Lake George presented by Surfside on August 1 here but spiked a temperature and re-routed to the Lake Placid.
She captured the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham on May 31 at Chantilly in her final start in her native France after being privately purchased. The City Light bay did win at 10-furlongs as a 2-year-old at Lyon-Parilly and Brown said he plans to stretch out Naomis to nine furlongs for her next outing in the Grade 1, $750,000 [$150,000 KTDF] Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 10 at Keeneland.
"That was a good spot to start her on form as she had been running a mile over there, but I think there's more run there," Brown said.
Brown landed fifth and sixth, respectively, with Emerging Market and Sea Strike in Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers.
Klaravich Stables' Emerging Market captured the Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds ahead of a 10th-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs. The Candy Ride chestnut was fifth in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets in June here and followed with a runner-up try versus elders in an optional-claimer on July 25 in which he was wide and far back before closing well.
Emerging Market exited post 1-of-10 in the Travers under Ricardo Santana, Jr. and made a five-wide run down the lane to finish 5 1/4-lengths back of the victorious Leading Change.
Flanagan Racing's Sea Strike, by Midshipman, entered from a rousing 8 1/4-length score in the restricted Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos on August 2 here in just his third career start. The winning effort earned a lofty 102 Beyer. The attractive chestnut exited post 7 under Prat in the Travers and was well positioned in second to the outside of Napoleon Solo at the top of the lane, but landed six lengths back of Leading Change.
"Both horses got good trips, they just didn't fire," Brown said. "I think Sea Strike, from the quarter-pole home, it looked like he felt his big number in the Curlin and bounced."
Brown said Sea Strike was in good order Sunday morning and that no definite plans have been made for him as of yet.
"I don't think it's a distance thing. I'm not looking to run him a mile and a quarter the next time I run him, he just didn't fire the same way from the quarter-pole home," Brown said.
Brown said Emerging Market will likely take a break.
"No excuse for him. He looks like a horse that might need to be backed up on, given a break and just re-group. I'll pull the plug on him for a while - he's sound, he's just fallen off a bit," Brown said.
A successful weekend of stakes runners also saw Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Richard Schermerhorn's dual Grade 1-winning New York-bred Spirit of St Louis surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings with a rallying half-length score in Friday's state-bred $200,000 West Point presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital.
The 7-year-old Medaglia d'Oro gelding won a pair of Grade 1s last year, taking the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park and the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.
"It's nice to get him over $2 million, he's been a solid horse for us," Brown said. "My team has done a good job of keeping that horse healthy through the years and managing him carefully. He's had a nice, full career and is still going strong.
"We'll probably have a couple more starts with him and then work on getting him a second career as an 8-year-old," Brown added. "He's such a cool horse, he deserves it, and I think he'll be happy doing that."
Brown indicated Spirit of St Louis is likely to stay in New York-bred company. A logical upcoming spot for the dark bay would be a third appearance in the state-bred $200,000 Mohawk on October 24 at Belmont Park - a race he won back-to-back in 2023-24.
Spirit of St Louis, bred by Chester and Mary Broman, has banked $2,035,000 through a 24-12-5-1 record.
Douglas Scharbauer and Three Chimneys Farm's Always a Runner, winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in May at Churchill, worked a half-mile in 48.75 Saturday over the Spa main track. The Gun Runner dark bay is pointing to the Grade 1 Cotillion on September 19 at Parx Racing.
Brown said he is extremely pleased with how Always a Runner is training into the Cotillion.
"She's working like she was in May again. It's remarkable that she's been able to hold form," Brown said.
Always a Runner has made five starts this year, graduating in February at Tampa Bay Downs and winning the Grade 3 Gazelle in April at Aqueduct Racetrack ahead of her Oaks coup. She followed with a pair of Grade 1 seconds to Counting Stars here in the DraftKings Acorn in June and the Coaching Club American Oaks on July 25.
Club Reign Points to Champagne
Trainer Whit Beckman started off Saturday's Grade 1 DraftKings Travers Day card at Saratoga Race Course with a sparkling six-length score from promising 2-year-old Club Reign in a six-furlong maiden special weight.
The Core Beliefs colt utilized a prominent trip and drew clear from his six rivals comfortably down the lane to win in a final time of 1:11.27 to earn a 73 Beyer Speed Figure.
"He's always been a special horse. He's extremely talented in the morning and to do that in the afternoon, he lived up to the billing," Beckman said.
Club Reign is owned by Ribble Farms, Three Brand Racing and Walmac Farm. Three Brand Racing is the nom de course of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson, who was at the Spa Saturday with his Grammy Award-winning wife Ciara and their family. Wilson's interest in horse racing was sparked, in part, by his brother Harry, who lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
"I've known Russell's brother for 10 years and he lives down the street from me," Beckman said. "We're happy that they could come and share it with us and see what we do here. We have an amazing outlet for competition, getting together with family and friends and being part of something big. It's a lot of fun. I'm grateful he's chosen to go down this road with us. I'm hoping we can reproduce that with many more peak moments."
That next peak moment could come in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne, a one-turn mile on October 3 at Belmont Park which offers a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on October 30 at Keeneland.
"My thoughts go back to another horse I was around a lot that broke his maiden on Travers Day and the next race he won was the Champagne," Beckman said, with a nod to the Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher-trained Uncle Mo, who followed the Champagne victory with a Breeders' Cup Juvenile score when Beckman worked as an assistant. "It seems like a good progression and nice timing. If that's the case, good, if he needs more time we'll give him more time."
Beckman, who also trains horses for former Major League Baseball star Jayson Werth, acknowledged his barn does seem to be aligning with a number of professional athletes.
"Two of them...we don't have enough to field a team yet," he said, with a laugh. "I'm working on it."
Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate, Ribble Farms, Hoolie Racing Stable and Kamp Racing Stables' popular maiden Ocelli landed ninth in the Travers. The Connect colt competed in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, finishing third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at odds of 70-1 and fourth in the Grade 1 Preakness.
"The track was a little quick, but I thought he was in a good spot down the backside and moving well," Beckman said. "As soon as he switched leads in the turn, he just went idle and lost the same gear we'd seen in other races. He's fine this morning.
"We haven't come to a decision on any future plans," he added. "We're just enjoying the moment, and he'll tell us."
Beckman's Travers Day lineup also includes sixth-place finishes from Kokomotion in the Grade 2 Lake Placid and Bring the Smoke in the Grade 1 Forego. The conditioner said all of his starters came back in good order.
Moquett Full of Praise for Hymn
Fleur De Lis Stables, William Sparks and Bret Jones' Hymn earned his first graded victory with a three-quarter-length score in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Forego, at Saratoga Race Course. The seven-furlong sprint for 3-years-old and up provided a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in October at Keeneland.
"I really like how he came out of the race, he seemed very happy this morning," trainer Ron Moquett said. "I was very pleased obviously with the way it worked out. I thought Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] rode him the exact way it took to win the race."
Moquett indicated that he would prefer the Breeders' Cup Sprint for Hymn rather than the Dirt Mile and could look to use the Grade 2, $400,000 Phoenix on October 2 at Keeneland as a potential bridge with that race offering a "Win and You're In" berth to his preferred event.
"Yes, if we win that sprint, we can go there [Breeders' Cup Sprint]," said Moquett. "He's proven he's better at a sprint distance, but we might be willing to try something later."
Moquett won the 2018 Forego with Whitmore en route to runner-up efforts in that year's Phoenix and Breeders' Cup Sprint. He followed the same route in 2020, landing seventh in the Forego and fourth in the Phoenix ahead of an 18-1 upset score in that year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland.
Virabhadrasana Lands LaRose Another Win
Rookie trainer Kinnon LaRose on Saturday continued his strong run with 2-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course when Virabhadrasana won Race 6, a six-furlong maiden event for fillies, by 2 1/2 lengths.
In her lone prior outing, Virabhadrasana trailed the field in last-of-10 before passing tiring rivals to finish fourth, beaten 9 1/4 lengths, in an August 1 race won by Life Changing, who is targeting next Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway. Yesterday, Virabhadrasana was hustled from the gate by returning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr. and chased the pacesetter in second before taking the lead turning for home and being driven to a 2 1/2-length score.
"I thought she ran well [in her debut], but she broke horrible," said LaRose. "She spotted the field however many lengths and had a really wide trip around there and was really the only one making up ground late. It was a good learning experience for her, and I think it made her mature mentally. Ricardo came and worked her in the week before she ran yesterday. He had the most confidence in the world. He said, 'Man, this filly is doing great.'"
Virabhadrasana is owned by Dr. Joel Politi, whose wife, Julie, is a yoga instructor. Her name is a reference to the Sanskrit word for "warrior pose."
"Of course, we just call her 'Vera' for short," said LaRose. "We were super impressed with her yesterday. She ran a great race. She came out of it well."
LaRose said Virabhadrasana's next start will be selected after she is shipped to Kentucky.
"She'll run either at Churchill or Keeneland and we will find something for her," said LaRose. "There are not too many options coming out of a straight 2-year-old race, but we'll try to find the best spot for her."
Virabhadrasana's victory was LaRose's fourth of the Saratoga meet, all with juveniles. The trainer also sent out Intraosseous and Midnight Still to maiden victories and won the Grade 3 Adirondack with Stress Relief. Virabhadrasana, Intraosseous, and Stress Relief are all owned by Joel Politi, while Midnight Still is campaigned by Double Down Horse Racing.
LaRose has been allocated eight stalls at Belmont Park but has not yet decided whether he will send a string to that venue this fall.
"It's been a good meet for us," said LaRose. "There certainly have been ups and downs, but such is this game. It's been a good learning experience for me. We brought some nice 2-year-olds here that have performed well. Coming up to Saratoga, this is a place where you want to compete against the best and try to do your best, be able to make sure these horses are right on race day. We've been lucky with some of the 2-year-olds we have had, and, hopefully, we'll close out the meet strong."
LaRose said he would enter Stress Relief, who won the Adirondack by 3 1/2 lengths on August 2, in next Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Spinaway, which is a "Win and You're In" race for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Stress Relief breezed four furlongs over the Saratoga main track in 51.25 seconds on Saturday in her final timed workout prior to the seven-furlong Spinaway.
"She's a filly that doesn't try to do too much in the mornings," said LaRose. "She takes good care of herself and came out of it well."
On Sunday, Midnight Still covered four furlongs on the main track 47.16 seconds. Midnight Still has been pointed toward the Grade 1, $300,000 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful next Sunday off a 6 1/4-length maiden win July 11 here at the Spa. Junior Alvarado will take over aboard Midnight Still in the Hopeful, a seven-furlong race open to all 2-year-olds.
"He worked a sharp half," said LaRose. "Junior came and worked him. It was the first time Junior got on him and got a good feeling of him and got to know him pretty well. It was a good, sharp move for him. We will see how he comes out of it and enter Wednesday for the Hopeful."
LaRose, who formerly worked as an assistant to Tom Amoss and took over the stable in April after the latter retired from training, expressed gratitude for the continued support he has received from his mentor.
"Tom's been great," said LaRose. "I mean, we still talk daily. For him to give me this opportunity, I'm very grateful for it. He's a good guy to have in your corner, and I love learning from him each day, kind of picking his brain. He's really a wealth of knowledge, to be able to have the relationship we have. And I couldn't be more appreciative."
Wood Island Earns 78 Beyer for Skidmore
Smart Choice Stable's Wood Island earned a career-best 78 Beyer Speed Figure for his pacesetting 2 3/4-length score in Thursday's $200,000 Skidmore, a 5 1/2-furlong Mellon turf sprint for juveniles, at Saratoga Race Course.
"He came out it good, very happy with him," trainer George Weaver said. "I was impressed with his effort. I was happy with how he left the gate running and happy with how he responded in the stretch. That was all good."
The speedy colt, winner of his off-the-turf debut in July here, became the first North American stakes-winner for his sire Jackie's Warrior, who memorably won five graded sprints at Saratoga from 2020-22.
"I think he's the only Jackie's Warrior I have, but I like him physically," Weaver said of the $250,000 purchase at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. "I liked him at the sale and he's a nice looking horse."
Woodbine Racetrack offers the Grade 3, $250,000 Algonquin, a five-furlong inner turf sprint on October 3, which Weaver successfully used as a springboard to winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last year with Cy Fair.
"Probably Algonquin [next for Wood Island]," Weaver said. "There's a race at Keeneland [Grade 3 Indian Summer on October 4], but I'm still enjoying the win, and we'll figure it out once we get back going on the track."
Evershed Eyes Flower Bowl
Trainer Arnaud Delacour noted on Sunday that Evershed, winner of Friday's Grade 3 Waya at Saratoga Race Course, is in fine fettle as she now turns her attention to the Grade 2, $500,000 Flower Bowl on September 26 at Belmont Park, a "Win and You're In" for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
"She's doing great, she's back at Fair Hill and left the day afterwards, and so far, so good," Delacour said. "I was very happy with the outcome, obviously. I think the timing of the race was right and she was coming up to the race second off the layoff."
The 4-year-old Churchill bay broke through in the 1 3/8-mile inner turf marathon for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up following a one-length third in a July optional claimer at Colonial Downs in her first start off an eight month-respite.
In the Waya, she landed her determined three-quarter-length score over the pacesetting Storm Miami after stalking and pouncing up the inside under Flavien Prat, earning her first stakes win in a final time of 2:15.12. The effort was awarded the same career-high 91 Beyer Speed Figure she earned in a local second to Fionn in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks Invitational last year in her lone other Spa appearance.
"I thought it was a wide-open race and she had a good trip," Delacour said. "She fired and it worked out. We're very happy for the owner. We'll nominate [to the Flower Bowl] for sure, make sure she's OK, have a couple of works, and that will be a logical spot to try. I'm sure it will come up a little salty because it's always a good race, but we'll see."
A winner of more than $340,000 from an 8-3-2-1 record, Evershed is campaigned by Mark Grier and sold for $369,665 at the 2023 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale. She is out of the Darshaan mare Balankiya, making her a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Bayrir.
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