Brown Pair Heads Sheepshead Bay

A pair of fillies trained by Chad Brown head a compact cast for the May 7 Sheepshead Bay Stakes (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park. Brown will not be in New York to saddle either the filly Sea Calisi or mare Guapaza as he'll be in Louisville tending to his Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) pair.

The Sheepshead Bay, worth $200,000, is for older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the inner turf course.

Martin Schwartz bought Sea Calisi from Mulungu Bloodstock in June 2015 and she made four starts in Europe for him before being sent to Brown. A 4-year-old French-bred filly by Youmzain—Triclaria, by Surumu, Sea Calisi makes her U.S. debut in the Sheepshead Bay. Sea Calisi finished up last season running seventh in the group I British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes, but more telling of her quality might be her third-place effort behind champion Treve in last September's Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-I) and third in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-I).

Guapaza, a Chilean-bred mare for Carlos Heller, was a gaining third in her U.S. debut March 5 in Gulfstream Park's Very One Stakes (gr. IIIT). The winner, the Schwartz-owned, Brown-trained Olorada (Ger), came back to win Keeneland's Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) April 29. A multiple group winner in Chile, Guapaza (Seeking the Dia—Guampa, by Dushyantor, ran second to Dacita in the Las Oaks Carlos Hirmas (Chi-I) back in December 2014. Dacita has also made her way the U.S. and won last summer's Ketel One Ballston Spa Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga.

Trainer Christopher Clement will send out Carla Bianca for Moyglare Stud Farm. A two-time group III winner in Ireland, the daughter of Dansili shipped to the U.S. last summer and ran mid-pack in the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) at Arlington International Racecourse.

Andrew Stone's Nakuti, a group III winner last summer in England, finished sixth in her 2016 bow in the Dahlia Stakes at Laurel Park for trainer Graham Motion.