Brown Just Four Wins Shy of Belmont Spring Meet Record

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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Chad Brown at Belmont Park

Trainer Chad Brown leads the Belmont Park spring/summer meet with a record of 124-40-27-16 for meet-leading purse earnings in excess of $4.8 million following the June 26 card in Elmont, N.Y.

The four-time Eclipse Award winner swept both Saturday stakes at Belmont—taking the Mother Goose (G2) with Gerrymander  and the Wild Applause with Eminent Victor —to increase his meet-leading total to 13.

His 40 wins include 22 on turf and 18 on dirt—both figures that lead the meet for the surface—which speaks to Brown's versatility. 

According to the Daily Racing Form, Brown is just four wins shy of David Jacobson's record of 44 at the 2013 Belmont spring/summer meet, which was accomplished with 168 starters across a 56-day meet. This 44-day meet ends July 10.

"My team has done a great job and so have my horses. They've really showed up," Brown said. "My staff are unbelievable across all the divisions. Once again, they've stepped up and focused their talents day-to-day on executing their tasks and doing it at a high level."

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Brown won 32 races last year to clinch his sixth consecutive Belmont spring/summer meet title. He said he is particularly proud that his 13 stakes wins this meet—10 last on turf—are spread across seven riders, including Manny Franco, Flavien Prat, Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz, and one each for Eric Cancel, Trevor McCarthy, and Joel Rosario, who rode Gerrymander Saturday.

"This is a deep, diverse group of horses, and I'm so proud of their efforts," Brown said. "Several different members of the jockey colony have contributed, so it's nice to spread it out. It's such a talented group, and for a large number of them to have success with our horses is always gratifying."

This year Brown could add to his lone main-track Eclipse winner (Good Magic  , 2017 2-year-old champion male), with his talented trio of sophomore colts in Early Voting , Jack Christopher , and Zandon .

Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant's undefeated Jack Christopher captured the Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG&E and KU (G2) in his seasonal debut on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs and followed with a 10-length romp in the June 11 Woody Stephens Stakes presented by Mohegan Sun (G1) at Belmont.

Jack Christopher breezed a half-mile Saturday morning in :49.49 over Big Sandy in preparation for his first two-turn test in the July 23 TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Jeff Drown's Zandon, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1), has been unraced since his gallant third-place showing in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) behind Rich Strike  and Epicenter . The son of Upstart   worked a half-mile in :48.41 over the Belmont main track Sunday. Brown said the July 30 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course was the next target for the colt.

The last and, up to now, the most accomplished of the trio is Klaravich Stables' Early Voting, the last-out winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1). Prior to his Preakness victory, he dropped a neck decision to Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1) hero Mo Donegal  in the Wood Memorial Stakes presented by Resorts World Casino (G1).

Early Voting drilled five furlongs in company with multiple graded-stakes placed Highly Motivated  in 1:01.05 over the Belmont main track Sunday. The Gun Runner   colt's next start is yet to be decided.

Brown said he was pleased with the works from both star dirt colts.

"Zandon worked great. It was a maintenance move and he is on target for the Jim Dandy."

He called Early Voting's breeze "a nice solid work to keep maintaining where he is at, and that's what we got. His next start is between the Haskell or the Jim Dandy."

Also breezing Sunday for Brown was multiple-grade 1 winner and last-out Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1) winner Regal Glory . The 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom worked a half-mile in company in :49.02 with Just a Game third-place finisher In Italian .

The Peter Brant color bearer is aiming toward the Aug. 14 Fourstardave Stakes (G1T) against the boys at Saratoga. A win in that $500,000 Breeders' Cup Challenge event guarantees a berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) this fall.

"They looked good," Brown said. "Regal Glory will go to the Fourstardave. I'm not sure with In Italian yet, but she's possible for the Diana Stakes (G1T)."

After the Belmont meet, Brown will look to add to his riches at Saratoga, where last year he registered his fourth H. Allen Jerkens award as top trainer with 41 wins, and his third in the last four meets. The Mechanicville, N.Y., native set a Spa record for trainers with 46 wins in 2018.