Brown looks to continue turf assault in Fasig-Tipton De La Rose

by Karen M. Johnson

With wins in each of the three graded turf stakes contested thus far at the meet, trainer Chad Brown looks to continue his position of supremacy in Saturday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton De La Rose.

Brown, who leads all North American trainers in turf wins (68) and purse earnings ($7.2 million) in grass races run so far this year, will run Roca Rojo and Zindaya.

Brown's charges are among a field of 12 older fillies and mares entered in the mile race on the inner turf.

Zindaya, a 5-year-old daughter of More Than Ready, is coming off a powerful performance in the $150,000 Intercontinental Stakes June 9 at Belmont Park. Owned by Five Racing Thoroughbreds, the mare kicked home with a late rally to win the seven-furlong turf race by 3 1/2 lengths as the favorite. It was her second race for her new connections, and followed a runner-up finish in the License Fee Stakes at Belmont in May.

"She had been doing really well coming into her last race," Brown said Wednesday morning. "She has relaxed quite a bit since we got her into the barn. We'll try the two turns now, and see if she handles it. But she has been training kindly, as if she will stretch out."

Javier Castellano rides Zindaya, who drew post 10.

The lightly raced Roca Rojo, a 4-year-old bred in Ireland, turned heads with her American debut in June at Belmont. Owned by Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables and Peter Bradley, Roca Rojo was privately purchased last year. A winner of two starts in Ireland as a 3-year-old, the daughter of Strategic Prince made easy work of six rivals in an optional claimer June 30. The filly closed into a fast pace, and rambled home a 2 1/4-length winner of the seven-furlong race.

"This horse has been super impressive," enthused Brown. "Her first race in this country was perfect. She has trained very sharp since, and I look forward to her moving forward off that first start, based on the way she is training."

John Velazquez, aboard for Roca Rojo's last start, has the mount from the rail.

Trainer Christophe Clement, whose prowess with turf horses is well-documented, sends out Akatea and Stormy Victoria, both of whom enter the stakes off of good-looking allowance victories. Akatea was up in time to win a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Belmont last month. Stormy Victoria came flying at the finish of a seven-turf race at Belmont, also in July, to garner a head decision in a seven-furlong turf event. 

Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who won the 2014 De La Rose with Filimbi, will start Lady Lara, who began her career in Great Britain in 2013. Since launching her U.S. campaign in 2014, Lady Lara has won three stakes, and elevated her earnings to $721,203. One of her best races, albeit a loss, came earlier this year when she finished second to reigning female turf champion Tepin in the Grade 3 Endeavor Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The jet-setting Excilly, whose passport reflects sojourns to Dubai, France, Germany and Great Britain, makes her American debut for trainer Thomas Dascombe. The filly seeks her first win in more than a year, but she showed good form in Dubai this past winter, finishing second and third in a pair of group races. 

Completing the field is Bitty Kitty, Cali Thirty Seven, Industrial Policy, Mayla, My Sweet Girl and Robillard.