Annette Jasko Photo

Chad Brown’s trio of winners leads way on Big Apple Showcase Day

by NYRA Press Office

Trainer Chad Brown saddled three winners on Memorial Day at Belmont Park, capturing half of the six stakes for New York-breds as part of Big Apple Showcase Day.

Brown’s Fourstar Crook commenced the slate’s stakes portion with a victory in the Mount Vernon, Kathryn the Wise won the Critical Eye in Race 6 and Offering Plan rallied to win the Kingston in the card’s penultimate race. Jockey Javier Castellano also registered three wins to lead all riders on the day.

Fourstar Crook kicked off the day’s action, unleashing a game run to lead a Brown-trained exacta in Race 4, the $125,000 Mount Vernon for fillies and mares at a mile on the Widener turf, listed as yielding.

The 5-year-old Freud mare, ridden by Castellano, tracked Freudie Anne, who led the closely-packed field through an opening quarter-mile in 24.14 seconds, and the half in 48.81. Racing five-wide into the stretch, Fourstar Crook rushed down to center of the course to post her first victory since last September, three-quarters of a length ahead of stablemate Ack Naughty.

Off as the 6-5 favorite, Fourstar Crook returned $4.40 for a $2 win wager and completed the mile in 1:37.33.

Freudie Anne held on for third, followed by Ancient Secret, Flipcup, Louisville First, Free N Clear to complete the order of finish. Little Bear Cat, a main-track-only entrant, was scratched.

Lawrence Goichman’s Kathryn the Wise won for the third time in as many career starts, going gate-to-wire to capture the fourth running of the $200,000 Critical Eye for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

After Brown won the opener of the six-stakes card, Kathryn the Wise gave him a second straight victory, finishing an impressive 8 ¼-lengths clear of runner-up Literata. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. sent the 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly to the front, setting fast fractions of 22.62 for a quarter-mile with the half in 46.36, completing one mile on a sloppy and sealed main track in 1:38.70.

Kathryn the Wise, whose previous two wins came at Aqueduct, delivered as the 3-5 favorite and paid $3.30. She more than doubled her career earnings, increasing her total to $187,200.

Bee Noteworthy, Wonderment, Jc’s Shooting Star, Picco Uno, Daisy Cutter, Tricky Zippy, Big Mara, Jules N Rome, Play Me a Memory completed the order of finish.

In the $125,000 Mike Lee for 3-year-olds, Hoffman Thoroughbreds’ T Loves a Fight, for trainer Mike Hushion, broke from rail with Kendrick Carmouche aboard as the pair stalked 9-5 favorite Syndergaard. As the field turned for home, Syndergaard remained in front when T Loves a Fight moved three-wide in the upper stretch and surged to the front, completing seven furlongs in 1:25.06.

Returning $5.70, the son of Girolamo boosted his career earnings to $207,737. Following was Syndergaard in second while Pat On the Back, Blue Belt, Sal the Turtle and Terry O Geri completed the order of finish.

Weekend Hideaway posted a mild upset in Race 8, holding on by a nose for a repeat victory in the $200,000 Commentator for 3-year-olds and up at a mile.

Weekend Hideaway went straight to the lead under jockey Luis Saez, covering the opening quarter-mile in 23.04 and the half in 46.04. A 7-year-old son of Speightstown, Weekend Hideaway held a two-length advantage as the field turned for home and dug in to hold off a late-charging Diversity, favored at 2-1, at the wire.

Trained by Phil Serpe, Weekend Hideaway won last year’s edition by 3 ¾ lengths over Royal Posse and Eye Luv Lulu. He was third in the 2014 Commentator and second as a 3-year-old in the Mike Lee in 2013.

“I had a feeling that we had won the race, but we came back and saw it wasn't official,” said Saez. “That was a little scary, anything can happen, but I had a little feeling that we got there. He ran so hard. When we came to the stretch, he was giving me everything.”

The winning time was 1:37.34. Weekend Hideaway returned $14.60.

Governor Malibu was another 2 ¼ lengths back in third. Gypsum Johnny, Royal Posse, Empire Dreams, Eye Luv Lulu, Hit It Once More, Loki’s Vengeance completed the order of finish. Bellamy Way and Celtic Chaos were scratched.

Making his first start of the year and sent off as the 2-1 favorite, Offering Plan made a rousing move moving from last to first in capturing the $125,000 Kingston. 

With Castellano piloting his day’s third winner, Offering Plan tracked King Kreesa from last in the field of eight as King Kreesa set comfortable fractions of 24.85 for the opening quarter-mile and 49.40 for the half.

As the field turned for the quarter-pole, Offering Plan began his winning move, swinging five-wide into the lane and quickly picking off foes to the wire, securing the one-length victory.

Returning $6.30, the 5-year-old son of Spring at Last boosted his career earnings to $382,800 and gave Brown his third victory.

Following King Kreesa in second was Lubash, Kharafa, Macagone, Wicked Freud, Iron Power and Mark My Style.

Lady Shelia Stable’s Holiday Disguise ran down Noble Freud in the stretch and cleared away to a 1 ¼-length victory in the 40th running of the $125,000 Bouwerie for 3-year-old fillies to cap the program.

The Linda Rice trainee stayed off Noble Freud’s fractions of 22.64 for a quarter-mile and the half in 46.26 before jockey Jose Ortiz overtook the front-runner to the outside, completing seven furlongs in 1:25.19.

Holiday Disguise paid $8.10 and moved her career earnings to $149,150, winning for the third consecutive time and second straight on Big Sandy.

Following Race 3, Carmouche was honored with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award, a prestigious honor awarded to jockeys who exemplify extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.

The Venezia Award, established in 1989, is named in honor of jockey Mike Venezia, who died as a result of injuries he suffered in a spill in 1988 at Belmont Park. Venezia, a Brooklyn native, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.