Brown, Clement send out BC workers at Belmont

Edited Press Release

Trainer Chad Brown continued his Breeders' Cup preparations Sunday morning, working a slew of potential starters pointing toward the two-day World Championships, which takes place at Keeneland October 30-31, over Belmont Park’s firm inner turf course.

Highlighting Brown’s workers were Stephanie's Kitten, who last out won the October 3 Flower Bowl S. (G1) at Belmont, and Chilean-bred Dacita, who won the Ballston Spa S. (G2) in her North American debut at Saratoga on August 29.

Working in company, the pair went four furlongs in :49.05 ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

Pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Pilgrim S. (G3) third-place finisher Ray's the Bar worked in company with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) contender Llanita, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.02.

"We had a day good overall," Brown said. "I thought all of our horses breezed perfect. Stephanie's Kitten worked good with Dacita, Llanita and Ray's the Bar worked well, particularly the last quarter was very good, 23 seconds and change."

Other possible entrants Brown may saddle for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf include Last Waltz, a new European arrival to the Brown barn who worked in company with Regardez on the inner turf going four furlongs in 50.20 seconds.

"I thought she (Last Waltz) did really well," Brown said. "She seems like a real class horse. We haven't had her long this was her first breeze for us today, but she took to it like she's been over here."

Lastly, Brown commented on Saturday’s impressive performance from Pricedtoperfection breaking her maiden in the 2ND race at Belmont Park. The daughter of Temple City was already high on Brown's list from this summer and may be pointed back to enter in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as well.

"We've always loved this filly," Brown stated. "We thought she was our Miss Grillo horse early on in the summer. Unfortunately, she got a really wide trip in her debut and I was going to run her in the Miss Grillo as a maiden anyway and she missed the race with a foot bruise.

“Finally, once she got it all together, her foot healed up, and we got a couple of nice breezes under her going into yesterday's maiden and she ran like she always trained this summer.

“The timing isn't great and there's a chance she wouldn't get in, but she looked good this morning coming out of her race yesterday and I'll talk to the owners tomorrow and see what they want to do but I might pre-enter her in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf."

Multiple Grade 1 heroine Hard Not to Like breezed over Belmont Park's fast main track Sunday morning for trainer Christophe Clement as her connections weigh a possible start in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

The Ontario-bred daughter of Hard Spun worked an easy five furlongs, earning an official time of 1:02.98 to rank 10th of 11 at the distance.

"She had a nice maintenance work, nothing special," Clement said of the move. "She looked well to me. She seems to have come back in good order.

"The plan is to work her back next week on the turf before I make a final decision, but I will speak with Mr. (Peter) Fluor (of owner Speedway Stables) and we will decide if we want to pre-enter for the Breeders' Cup on Monday," Clement added.

This year's Breeders' Cup would be the second championship appearance for the now six-year-old Hard Not to Like, who finished fifth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2011 at Churchill Downs.

Stephanie’s Kitten photo courtesy of NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography