Instilled Regard Heads Four for Brown in Fort Marcy
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Photo: Dana Wimpfheimer
Instilled Regard takes in the scene at Palm Meadows Training Center
Trainer Chad Brown will send out four contenders in a field of nine for the $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes (G2T) June 6 on the inner turf course at Belmont Park, topped by Instilled Regard.
A graded stakes winner on both dirt and turf, Instilled Regard will seek a third graded stakes win in the 1 1/8-mile turf test for older horses. Most recently, the 5-year-old son of Arch finished sixth as the lukewarm favorite in the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2T) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, where he chased a slow pace and never threatened behind wire-to-wire winner Factor This.
"He didn't act like he handled the course very well, so we're drawing a line through that race," Brown said.
Owned by Larry Best's OXO Equine, Instilled Regard won the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park in December before finishing third in the Pegasus World Turf Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) at the South Florida oval.
As a 3-year-old, Instilled Regard raced exclusively on the main track, taking the Lecomte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds and finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) while racing for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
He will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 5.
Brown will also saddle Peter Brant's Flop Shot, who makes his North American debut. Flop Shot hasn't raced since finishing a close third to multiple group stakes winner Headman in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano-Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (G2) in August at Deauville.
"He's a staying-type of horse," Brown said of the son of New Approach. "He's been ready to run for over a month now, so we're looking forward to getting him going."
Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano will ride from post 4.
Brown's other entrants are the French-bred pair of Devamani and Tribhuvan.
Owned by Sandford Goldfarb and Samuel Abraham, Devamani made his debut for Brown in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T), finishing a late-closing second at Tampa Bay Downs.
Tribhuvan, owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables, makes his second start in North America after finishing third against allowance company on the Gulfstream Park turf. The son of Toronado drew the outside post.
Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out the consistent Social Paranoia, who has finished in the money in 12 of his 13 starts.
Owned by Stuart Grant's The Elkstone Group, the dark bay son of Street Boss finished third to stablemate Halladay in the May 9 Sunshine Forever Stakes at Gulfstream Park following a victory in his season debut in the March 28 Appleton Stakes (G3T) at the South Florida oval.
Jockey Manny Franco will ride from post 8.
Gucci Factor, who has won half of his 16 starts, will be making his season debut. Last year, he won three of four starts, all in stakes at Belmont. Grade 1-placed Somelikeithotbrown comes into the test off a win and a second in two starts at Turfway Park. Synchrony, second in the Feb. 15 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T), and stakes winner Temple round out the field.
Belmont Park, Saturday, June 06, 2020, Race 6Entries: Fort Marcy S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Temple (KY)
Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.
120
Michael J. Maker
10/1
2
2Gucci Factor (NY)
Junior Alvarado
122
Christophe Clement
6/1
3
3Somelikeithotbrown (NY)
Eric Cancel
120
Michael J. Maker
15/1
4
4Flop Shot (IRE)
Javier Castellano
120
Chad C. Brown
6/1
5
5Instilled Regard (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Chad C. Brown
7/2
6
6Synchrony (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Michael Stidham
4/1
7
7Devamani (FR)
Joel Rosario
118
Chad C. Brown
5/1
8
8Social Paranoia (KY)
Manuel Franco
122
Todd A. Pletcher
9/2
9
9Tribhuvan (FR)
Jose L. Ortiz
118
Chad C. Brown
12/1
