Flintshire, other Brown trainees work at Saratoga

Edited Press Release

Trainer Chad Brown sent several of his stakes horses to the track Friday morning at Saratoga in hopes of beating this weekend's projected rain.

Multiple Grade/Group 1 hero Flintshire, coming off a dominant victory in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2) and pointing toward the $1 Longines Sword Dancer Stakes (G1) on August 27, breezed four furlongs on the firm Oklahoma training track turf course in :49.43.

"He looked very, very good," Brown said. "It was just a little maintenance work for him. Just to stretch his legs ahead of the upcoming weather. I thought he did fine."

Dacita put in her first work since her July 23 Diana Stakes (G1) victory, clocking four furlongs in :49.12 on the Oklahoma training track, getting the same half-mile time as stablemate and Diana third-place finisher Rainha Da Bateria.

"I gave (Dacita) a little time to recover from that race; she was tired coming out of it," Brown explained. "I thought it was a good maintenance work for her. I sharpened up Rainha Da Bateria as well who I thought looked good."

Connect and Gift Box, the respective top two finishers from the July 29 Curlin Stakes who are both pointing for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) on August 27, put in works over Saratoga’s fast main track. Once-beaten Connect breezed a :48.33 half-mile in company while Grade 2-placed Gift Box worked a solo four furlongs in :48.89.

"(Gift Box) worked well and galloped out strong. Connect was more of a maintenance move and I thought he was moving just as good. So I'm really happy with where they're at. They seem to have bounced out of the Curlin the right way," Brown stated.

Undefeated multiple Grade 1 vixen Lady Eli, expected to make her return to the races in the $400,000 Ballston Spa Stakes (G2) on August 27, did not work ahead of this weekend's expected rain but, Brown hopes, will be able to keep her regular Sunday/Monday training regimen.

"I didn't really have an opportunity to move her work up to today," Brown shrugged. "We'll see what just happens with the weather and if we need to make some adjustments we can."

Flintshire photo courtesy of NYRA/Susie Raisher/Adam Coglianese Photography