Brody's Cause Comes Home in Blue Grass

Brody's Cause found himself back at home at Keeneland April 9, and the son of Giant's Causeway   proved his affinity for the Lexington oval with a strong score in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).

Returned to the site of his win in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), the Dale Romans trainee gobbled up ground from far back in the pack of 14 sophomores, charged past pacesetter Laoban, and held off New York outsider My Man Sam by 1 3/4 lengths. Fellow Romans trainee Cherry Wine closed to get third by a head inside the final furlong.

Final time for the 1 1/8-mile test was 1:50.20 on a fast track.

Brody's Cause rebounded off a seventh in the March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II), his first start since a third in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Keeneland. 

"The horse needed a race and he got that race in Tampa, it's a great racetrack to prep on," Romans said. "This is home, this is the second-biggest race in Kentucky in my opinion, and it's great to win. On to the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) with a real chance."

Bordy's Cause paid $10.40, $5, and $3.40 after being sent off at odds of 4-1 under jockey Luis Saez. My Man Sam paid $5,80 and $4, and Cherry Wine brought $3.60. Cherry Wine will also head down the road to Churchill Downs for a chance at the Run for the Roses, but only has 25 points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard and ranks 23rd on the list.

Completing the order of finish were Laoban, Star Hill, Goats Town, Lookin for a Kiss, Donegal Moon, Crescent Drive, Cards of Stone, Zapperini, 2-1 favorite Zulu, American Dubai, and Twizz. 

Bred in Kentucky by Gabriel Duignan, William Arvin, Jr. & Petaluma Bloodstock out of the Sahm mare Sweet Breanna, Brody's Cause was a $350,000 purchase from the Paramount Sales consignment to the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale. The victory pushed his earnings to $1,123,138 with three wins and a third from six starts.

"This is a prototype Derby horse," Romans said.