Trainer Chad Brown’s three contenders for the Breeders’ Cup
tuned up for their future engagements by breezing on turf Sunday at Belmont Park.
Working in company with Desert Sage, Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly
& Mare Turf contender Stacelita
breezed four furlongs in 48.55 seconds.
“She breezed a half-mile on the turf course, and she is doing
very well,” said Brown, who trains the 5-year-old mare for Martin
Schwartz.
Dayatthespa and Fantastic Song, respectively under
consideration for the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf and Grade 1
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, together traveled five furlongs in 1:04.01.
“They breezed a little slow,” said Brown. “It was OK,
though. I have plenty of time to do some more work with them. They just started
off a little slow – a little bit of rider error, to be honest with you. I
thought they finished up well and galloped out good.”
Dayatthespa, second in the Grade 3 Natalma for owners Steve Laymon,
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Kris Kruid, and John Eaton, is definite for the Juvenile
Fillies Turf, Brown said. Dell Ridge Farm’s Fantastic Song, third in the
Grade 3 Pilgrim, will run in the Juvenile Turf if he gets into the field, with
Brown recognizing the colt could be excluded with insufficient points.
“Dayatthespa, we’re definitely pointing towards the
Breeders’ Cup,” said Brown. “Fantastic Song most likely will
go. I would say he would be on the bubble to get into the race. I think
he’ll get in with his third-place finish in the Pilgrim, but I’m
not positive about it.”
Brown said Schwartz’s Zagora,
who returned from her win in the Grade 1 Diana to finish seventh in the Grade 2
Canadian, will be given a break and await a 2012 campaign.
“I want to shut her down and give her a little bit of a
break,” said Brown. “She came out of the race in Canada sound, but her energy level
is not where it was in the summer when she was in form. Her coat has changed a
little bit. I think she is a little out of season right now. I’ll map out
a campaign in the spring and get her to Florida
early.”