Brown Duo Set for Modesty, Caravel in Unbridled Sidney

The Chad Brown-trained Shantisara , who broke the million-dollar earnings threshold last time out, headlines a field of nine fillies and mares 4-years-old and up in the May 5 $300,000 Modesty Stakes (G3T) over Churchill Downs' Matt Winn Turf Course. 

The daughter of Coulsty  is the most experienced at the 1 1/8-mile distance with three starts to her credit. But perhaps most importantly, she is undefeated in those starts. Only one challenger—Lady Rockstar , who will be adding blinkers—has a victory at this distance (one).

The Modesty represents the latest step in somewhat of a redemption tour for Shantisara, the 5-year-old out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana. After an impressive 2-1-0 mark from five starts in her native Ireland, Shantisara came to the United States and proceeded to dazzle. She went 3-2-0 over her first five starts before disappointing with a fifth-place showing in the Fall Harvest Stakes at Keeneland on Breeders' Cup weekend.

She returned to the track in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park, finishing second, 1 1/2 lengths back of Queen Goddess . Last time out, she was victorious in the Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs, winning by 1 1/4 lengths.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode Shantisara her last two times out, will not return aboard the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Instead, he will be on the second choice, McKulick  (5-2), who is also trained by Brown. Flavien Prat, who rode Shantisara at Keeneland, returns to guide her under the Twin Spires. 

McKulick has two starts at this distance, both seconds—the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (G1T) and the Regret Stakes (G3T). The daughter of Frankel  has never finished off the board, with a 3-4-1 record in eight starts. With $1,187,400 in earnings, her credentials can't be called into question. The Modesty will be her first start of the year.

Rounding out the field are Didia (5-1), New Year's Eve  (5-1), Lady Rockstar (10-1), Sparkle Blue  (12-1), Sweet Dani Girl  (12-1), Henrietta Topham  (15-1), and Kate's Kingdom  (30-1).

Unbridled Sidney

Later Friday, Caravel  will take to the turf as the overwhelming 4-5 favorite in the $300,000 Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G3T). The 5 1/2-furlong race showcases a dozen fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. 

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) victress picked up where she left off upon her return to the track, once again taking on the boys in the Shakertown Stakes (G2T) where she won by a head.

"It was nice to see her gutsy performance," co-owner Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani of Qatar Racing told BloodHorse after the Shakertown triumph. "She did that in the Breeders' Cup, and she did it again today. It is very hard once you get headed to come back again, but it was nice to see and I think it bodes well for the future for her."

The biggest challenge may come from 5-1 Oeuvre , who has finished off the board only twice in 17 races (10-3-2) but will be making her graded stakes debut.

Completing the field are Bay Storm (6-1), Little Jewel (8-1), Majestic d'Oro  (15-1), New Boss  (15-1), Miner's Queen  (20-1), Quaria Comet  (20-1), Salvaje  (20-1), Sarah Harper  (20-1), Love of My Heart  (30-1), and Margie's Kitchen  (50-1).