Chad Brown Has Ballston Spa Trio at Saratoga
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Trainer Chad Brown has French-bred and raced Mascha, Signficant Form, and Fifty Five in the Ballston Spa at Saratoga Race Course
Racing on the New York circuit is never short of Chad Brown runners.
And Saratoga Race Course's $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa (G2T), which drew a field of nine fillies and mares, is no different. The leading trainer has three entered, including the French-bred Mascha.
"She's an exciting prospect," said Brown, who also had been pointing Rushing Fall to the Ballston Spa but withdrew her from consideration after she posted a sub-par workout. "I think she's earned the right to step up in this grade 2 race."
An allowance winner going the Ballston Spa distance of 1 1/16 miles July 31 over the Saratoga turf, Mascha is group 3-placed at Deauville and finished fifth in the Shadwell Prix de la Nonette (G2) prior to her U.S. debut. The 4-year-old daughter of Le Havre also won a stakes at Germany's Baden-Baden Racecourse.
Martin Schwartz acquired Mascha during the summer of last year and transferred her to Brown's care after her last two races in France. She has been training at Saratoga since the beginning of May and drew the outside post in the Ballston Spa. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard Saturday.
Brown has also entered Stephanie Seymour Brant's Significant Form, fifth in the July 21 Caress Stakes, and Peter Brant's Fifty Five, who most recently finished second in the 1 1/16-mile Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes (G3T) at Parx Racing.
Fifty Five, a 5-year-old Get Stormy mare, strung together four stakes wins from September 2018 to May 2019, but the 2017 Florida Oaks (G3T) winner is still looking for a second graded stakes score.
Significant Form earned her second grade 3 win when she took the June 6 Intercontinental Stakes going seven furlongs at Belmont previous to the Caress Stakes. The 4-year-old Creative Cause filly has won twice at the Ballston Spa distance, in the 2018 Memories of Silver Stakes and the 2017 Miss Grillo Stakes (G3T), which came in her second start as a 2-year-old.
Secret Message, most recently fourth in the Diana Stakes (G1T) is slated as the Ballston Spa morning-line favorite at odds of 3-1.
The 4-year-old Hat Trick filly earned respect by kicking off the year with wins in the April 20 Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park and then wheeling back to take the May 26 Nassau Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine over fellow Ballston Spa runner Starship Jubilee.
Trained by Graham Motion, Secret Message signaled her readiness with a quick six-furlong breeze Aug. 17 in 1:12 2/5.
Also returning to the Spa Saturday is group 3 winner and last year's Ballston Spa third-place finisher Indian Blessing. P.K. Sui's runner has mostly raced in Europe but made the trek overseas to compete in three graded stakes last year—the 5-year-old daughter of Sepoy finished third in all three, including Keeneland's First Lady Stakes (G1T).
Trained by Ed Walker she most recently placed second in the RaceBets.de Meilen Trophy (G2) in Germany. Florent Geroux will be aboard Saturday.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 8Entries: Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Hogans Holiday (KY)
Ricardo Santana, Jr.
118
Robert N. Falcone, Jr.
20/1
2
2Fifty Five (NY)
Javier Castellano
118
Chad C. Brown
5/1
3
3Secret Message (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
122
H. Graham Motion
3/1
4
4Significant Form (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Chad C. Brown
6/1
5
5Indian Blessing (GB)
Florent Geroux
120
Ed Walker
8/1
6
6Conquest Hardcandy (NY)
Tyler Gaffalione
118
James T. Ryerson
15/1
7
7Scottish Jig (KY)
Joel Rosario
118
William I. Mott
10/1
8
8Starship Jubilee (FL)
Jose Lezcano
122
Kevin Attard
7/2
9
9Mascha (FR)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Chad C. Brown
9/2
