Brown Enters Three in Ballston Spa

Races on the New York circuit are never short of Chad Brown-trained runners.

And Saratoga Race Course's $400,000 Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes (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 pointed multiple grade 1 winner Rushing Fall to the race but withdrew her from consideration after 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 on the Saratoga turf, Mascha is group 3-placed at Deauville and finished fifth in the Shadwell Prix de la Nonette (G2) before 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 last summer and transferred her to Brown's care after her last two races in France. She has been training at Saratoga since May and drew the outside post. Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard.

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 to May, but the 2017 Florida Oaks (G3T) winner is still looking for a second graded score.

Significant Form earned her second graded win when she took the June 6 Intercontinental Stakes (G3T) going seven furlongs at Belmont Park before 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 July 13 Diana Stakes (G1T), is the morning-line favorite at 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 the May 26 Nassau Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine, the latter 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 is group 3 winner and last year's third-place finisher, Indian Blessing. P.K. Siu's runner has mostly raced in Europe but made the trek overseas to compete in three graded stakes last year, and 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 finished second in the RaceBets.de Meilen Trophy (G2) in Germany. Florent Geroux has the call.

Entries: Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. (G2T)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 24, 2019, Race 8

• Grade IIT
• 1 1/16m
• Turf
• $400,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:35 PM (local)

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