Regal Glory Faces the Boys in Fourstardave at Saratoga

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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Viola Jasko
Regal Glory wins the Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park

Contrary to what's been happening the last few years, the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) is not a race solely for fillies and mares.

It just seems that way after the distaff turf star Got Stormy  beat the boys in the 2021 and 2019 editions of the mile turf stakes at Saratoga Race Course and finished second in 2020.

While the Mark Casse-trained filly has been retired after racking up earnings of a little more than $2.4 million, another mare will follow in her footsteps Aug. 13, once again turning the open Fourstardave into an intriguing battle of the sexes.

Peter Brant's Regal Glory , a 6-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom  trained by Chad Brown, enters Saturday's stakes off a string of four straight stakes wins over females, three in grade 1 company, and has been impressive enough in her three 2022 scores to rank ninth in the latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association Top 10 poll.

"She's certainly among the handful of top horses in the country," Brown said. "It's encouraging to see that a filly has won this race in the past and she's talented enough to win as well."

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Surprisingly, the Fourstardave, a Breeders' Cup Challenge stakes for the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), is the rare New York grade 1 turf stakes that has eluded Brown's grasp, though that's not for a lack of trying. Brown has sent out the Fourstardave favorite the last three years, as well as a total of eight starters from 2019-21, but has just a second and third to show for it.

That could change rather abruptly Saturday with Brown sending out both Regal Glory and the grade 1-placed, grade 3 stakes-winning Masen  in a field of just five entrants.

Regal Glory, bought for $925,000 from the Lane's End consignment at the 2021 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale and kept with Brown after the death of original owner/breeder Paul Pompa Jr., was a decisive 3 1/2-length winner of her last start, the June 11 Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) at a mile.

Regal Glory wins the 2022 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Regal Glory heads to the winner's circle with Peter Brant on the shank after the Just a Game Stakes

"I like the mile distance for her. She is undefeated this year and we want to keep stepping up and allow her to meet new challenges and see if she can win this prestigious race," he said of Regal Glory, who will be facing males for the first time.

Juddmonte's homebred Masen has been practically perfect since arriving in the United States earlier this year. After winning three of six starts in Ireland, the 4-year-old Kingman  gelding lost by a nose in his American debut, the April 15 Maker's Mark Mile (G1T) at Keeneland. He then rebounded to win the Poker Stakes (G3T) and Seek Again Stakes, both at a mile, in his last two starts.

"He hasn't done much wrong since he's got here. A mile looks to be a good trip for him," Brown said. "He's looking good and training well. He came to me in beautiful shape and we've kept him there."

Masen will carry high weight of 123 pounds, four more than Regal Glory.

Casa Creed , owned by LRE Racing and the JEH Racing Stable of sports talk radio icon Mike Francesa, looms the main rival. The 6-year-old son of Jimmy Creed   trained by Bill Mott is coming off a second straight victory in the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at six furlongs. But the mile distance has been more problematic for Casa Creed as he has won just one of his 13 tries, finishing third in the last two editions of the Fourstardave.

Casa Creed will carry 122 pounds under the handicap conditions.

Stakes-winning, graded-placed Front Run the Fed  and grade 3 winner Get Smokin  complete the field.


Entries: Fourstardave H. (G1T)

Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, August 13, 2022, Race 10

  • Grade I
  • 1m
  • Inner turf
  • $500,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 6:13 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Casa Creed (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Luis Saez 122 William I. Mott 5/2
2 2Front Run the Fed (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Irad Ortiz, Jr. 117 Caio Caramori 10/1
3 3Regal Glory (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose L. Ortiz 119 Chad C. Brown 6/5
4 4Masen (GB) Flavien Prat 123 Chad C. Brown 2/1
5 5Get Smokin (KY) Javier Castellano 120 Mark E. Casse 8/1