Trainer Chad Brown has his hands full when it comes to talent, and following a strong undercard on Belmont Stakes Day, he laid out plans for several runners June 10, including Longines Just a Game Stakes (G1T) winner A Raving Beauty.
The three-quarter-length winner of the one-mile event—in just her second North American start—could target the July 21 Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga Race Course, Brown said.
"It's a strong possibility to get her out to a mile and an eighth, and the timing (of the Diana) probably works fine," Brown said. "We already have won a grade 1 with her, and we're going to find another race that fits her."
Owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, A Raving Beauty was purchased by Mandore International Agency for $264,915 at an Arqana mixed breeding stock sale in December. She raced 17 times in Europe, with a pair of stakes wins in Germany and a runner-up finish in Italy's Premio Lydia Tesio (G1) in October, her final start in Europe. She won the Beaugay Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park by three lengths May 12 in her North American debut.
"She's been a work in progress since she came over," Brown said. "She has improved rapidly. She has become real good, real fast. A fine addition to the barn. We're so lucky to have her. (The owners) have made two starts with her and already have a grade 1, so they are doing well with her."
Plans for Martin Schwartz's Off Limits, fourth in the Just a Game, will be determined at a later date.
"She's been disappointing after such a strong year last year," Brown said. "She's trying to find her form again. She was really far back earlier, the race didn't set up well for her at all. She came with her run to get up for fourth. We're going to regroup with her to get her back into form, because we know when she's at her best and things go her way that she's really tough."
Brown sent out Woodford Racing's Engage to a runner-up performance in the Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Mohegan Sun (G2) and praised both his own runner as well the winner, Still Having Fun.
"(Engage) had a great trip and a great pace set up, but the winner just found more," Brown said. "He was positioned behind us and rolled by near the wire. The winner was impressive, and I was super proud of Engaged."
Brown was disappointed with the outcome of the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes (G1T), in which Convento Viejo's Robert Bruce finished sixth and Al Shahania Stud, Sheep Pond Partners, Head of Plains Partners, and James Covello's Beach Patrol was last of 13 as the 9-5 favorite.
"I thought (Robert Bruce) ran real well and had a challenging trip," he said. "It wasn't the trip we wanted. The winner (Spring Quality) got a good trip and ran really well. He kicked. That's turf racing.
"Beach Patrol was the big disappointment of the day, the favorite in the Manhattan. He has never retreated like that in a race since we have had him. I definitely need to take a close look at him and make sure everything is OK. He wasn't himself for some reason. As long as he is healthy, he has earned the right to have a mulligan, so to speak. So far, I don't see a reason as to why he did that. It concerns me, but I need to look at the horse."
Brown said his other Saturday stakes runners—Mask (fourth in the Easy Goer Stakes), Pacific Wind (fourth in the Ogden Phipps Stakes, G1), and Take Your Guns (fourth in the Brooklyn Invitational Stakes, G2)—all seemed to be doing well upon preliminary inspection.
On the work tab for Brown on Sunday was champion Good Magic, second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and fourth in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Good Magic, currently targeting the July 29 betfair.com Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park, breezed four furlongs in :50.90.
