Hill Prince Trifecta for Trainer Brown

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s homebred Camelot Kitten overcame a troubled start to nail Beach Patrol at the wire to lead a 1-2-3 finish for trainer Chad Brown in the $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park Oct. 8. 

After being bumped at the start by Conquest Daddy O, the 3-year-old son of the Ramseys' top turf stallion Kitten's Joy   raced in midpack early as Monster Bea and Javier Castellano took the early lead while stalked by Beach Patrol. Beach Patrol, the slight 5-2 favorite in the 10-horse field, responded to Florent Geroux’s urging to engage Monster Bea into upper stretch and those two dueled through the length of the stretch.

Camelot Kitten, meanwhile, began to make up ground nearing the quarter pole while racing in tandem with Inspector Lynley and was angled out five wide for his winning stretch run, getting up in the final jump for a head victory. The final time for 1 1/8 miles over a firm course was 1:47.25.

Beach Patrol, winner of the Secretariat Stakes (gr. I), finished a length in front of stablemate Annals of Time as Brown posted his third graded triumph on the card. Previously, the trainer took two grade I stakes with Lady Eli in the Flower Bowl and Practical Joke in the Champagne.

"You put three horses in a race like this, with so many talented horses in the race, you're just happy that one of them wins," said Brown. "And for them to sweep the purse is an incredible feeling. I'm sorry there had to be a loser in the race. All three horses ran so well, particularly Beach Patrol in defeat. It was close at the wire. Camelot Kitten got the better trip, saving all the ground and angling out. Beach Patrol did the brunt of the work up front and Annals of Time for only his third career start, laying close to the pace and batting on to get third, all three horses ran terrific races."

The $2 Brown trifecta paid $142.50 as the winner was worth $8.00, $3.20, and $2.50.

The Hill Prince win improved Camelot Kitten to 5-3-0 in 10 starts and increased his earnings to $963,520.

A closer, Camelot Kitten previously this year won the American Turf and National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, both grade II, and grade III Pennine Ridge Stakes. Also second in the Saranac Stakes (gr. III), the bay colt finished fourth, only 1 1/2 lengths behind winner Deauville, in the Belmont Derby Invitational (gr. IT).