Golden Brown Upsets Kent Stakes for First Graded Win
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Photo: Adrianna Lynch/Bloodhorse
Golden Brown wins the Kent Stakes at Delaware Park
In a wild, 1 1/8-mile trip over the Delaware Park turf, Golden Brown fired in the final lengths of the stretch to win the $200,000 Kent Stakes (G3T) and take home his first graded win.
While the race started out well enough, it ended with a tumultuous stretch run, two objections for interference, and an upset.
Breaking sharply from post 7 after he acted up in the gate, longshot Archaggelos shot to the front of the pack to set the pace. Pressing the leader from the outside, Golden Brown and Hot Springs battled for third as Way Early showed early speed in second.
Archaggelos was still in the lead at the mile mark in 1:36.14, but the situation turned dicey as the field entered the stretch. Dropping back dramatically, Archaggelos veered toward the rail and carried Hot Springs into the path of Untamed Domain.
After breaking last in the field of eight, Untamed Domain was first checked along the inside in the far turn by jockey Jose Ortiz before he was pulled back again entering the lane. Cut off in close quarters by the maneuvers of Hot Springs, Ortiz was unable to improve the position of his mount, and the Patrick McBurney-trained Golden Brown seized an opening on the outside to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
A stewards inquiry was immediately undertaken when two objections were lodged against Hot Springs and Archaggelos by Ortiz, citing interference in the stretch.
Official results were delayed more than 10 minutes before Archaggelos was disqualified from fourth to sixth. The objection against Hot Springs was dismissed and he held for second, followed by Carrick a half-length behind in third.
"After his first time on turf, where he ran a fantastic race against tough older horses, we were looking for a straight 3-year-old race," McBurney said. "This was a grade 3, but we thought we would take a shot. We looked at the numbers, and his stacked up within a couple points of the highest number. We thought he would improve, and he could only help himself by running 1-2-3 in a race like this."
The Kent was the first step up to graded company for the 3-year-old son of Offlee Wild who finished second last time out in the Dan Horn Handicap at Monmouth Park. Bred in New Jersey by Esther de Jong and owned by ABL Stable, D. Bossone, P. Donnelly, and J. Schnoor Jr., Golden Brown was purchased by McBurney, agent, for $22,000 from the Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale. He improved his record to 3-3-0 in seven starts, with earnings of $209,500.
Video: Kent S. (G3T)
Earlier on the card, Thomas McClay's Prince of Hempt proved he was back in top form when he edged his competitors in the final furlong to win the Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes by a half-length. The win was the first of the year for the 4-year-old, who was undefeated in four starts last season. The Majestic Warrior gelding finished fourth last out in an optional-claiming allowance race at Parx Racing—his only other start this year.
Two races later, Florida-bred Always Sunshine romped to a 3 1/4-length victory in the Hockessin Stakes. The 6-year-old son of West Acre improved his record to 7-5-3 in 22 starts. Owned by Stonehedge, Always Sunshine finished fourth last out in the True North Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park and had not visited the winner's circle since a five-furlong optional-claiming allowance in May 2017.