Chad Brown Sends Out Strong Trio in Beverly D.

Chad Brown has three likely prospects as he seeks his fifth straight victory in the Aug. 10 renewal of the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse—but faces the usual Irish raid on the suburban Chicago track's big day.

The Brown trio comprises defending Beverly D. champ and Eclipse Award winner Sistercharlie, Competitionofideas, and Thais, all experienced graded stakes runners. Aidan O'Brien fields Fleeting, a promising 3-year-old daughter of Zoffany, and Magic Wand, who is cross-entered and regarded more likely for the Arlington Million (G1T) on the same card.

Sistercharlie, a 5-year-old, Irish-bred mare by Myboycharlie, is the morning-line 8-5 favorite with John Velazquez to ride, and Fleeting is pegged second at 5-2 with Ryan Moore named. Magic Wand would be held in similar regard should she bypass the Million.

Sistercharlie went on from last year's Beverly D. victory to win the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) at Churchill Downs. After an eight-month break, she returned July 13 to win the Diana Stakes (G1T) for the second straight year at Saratoga Race Course, edging clear of favorite Rushing Fall in the final yards. Brown trained the first three finishers in that race as Homerique finished third.

Sistercharlie's 2018 campaign earned her the Eclipse Award in the filly and mare turf division.

Competitionofideas looks to overcome a bout of seconditis as she was runner-up in all three starts this season, twice to Homerique. The 4-year-old Speightstown  filly just missed I'm So Fancy as the odds-on favorite in a three-horse field in the July 20 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T) at Monmouth Park.

Thais, a 5-year-old, French-bred mare by Rio de La Plata, was third in last year's Beverly D. after making the pace for Sistercharlie and played the same role in the Diana, where she faded to finish last of six.

Fleeting is winless in four starts this year. She finished last while kicking off the campaign in the May 5 QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket but then improved sharply going longer in the Investec Oaks (G1). She then was second in both the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) and the Kerrygold Irish Oaks (G1)—both instances behind the highly regarded Star Catcher.

The other three in the Beverly D. field will need significant improvement to figure in the outcome.

Brown won the 2015 Beverly D. with Watsdachances, then followed with Sea Calisi, Dacita, and Sistercharlie. Sistercharlie would be the first two-time winner.

The 1 3/16-mile event is named for the late wife of Arlington chairman emeritus Richard L. Duchossois.

Entries: Beverly D. S. (G1T)

Arlington International Racecourse, Saturday, August 10, 2019, Race 9

• Grade IT
• 1 3/16m
• Turf
• $600,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:53 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Fleeting (IRE)	Ryan L. Moore	117	Aidan P. O'Brien	5/2
2	2Awesometank (GB)	Florent Geroux	123	William J. Haggas	8/1
3	3Competitionofideas (KY)	Javier Castellano	123	Chad C. Brown	6/1
4	4Oh So Terrible (KY)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	123	Bradley S. Ross	30/1
5	5Remember Daisy (LA)	Mitchell Murrill	123	Gary M. Scherer	30/1
6	6Magic Wand (IRE)	Wayne Lordan	123	Aidan P. O'Brien	3/1
7	7Sistercharlie (IRE)	John R. Velazquez	123	Chad C. Brown	8/5
8	8Thais (FR)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Chad C. Brown	20/1