Coglianese /NYRA Photo Photo

Sistercharlie gives trainer Chad Brown his fourth G1 Diana victory

by Heather Pettinger

Ultra Brat nearly pulled off a 15-1 upset in the first Grade 1 of the Saratoga Race Course meet, but it was even-money favorite Sistercharlie who prevailed under a perfectly timed ride by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, nailing her rival on the wire to give trainer Chad Brown his fourth victory in the $500,000 Diana on Saturday.

Sistercharlie's nose victory for owner Peter Brant in the 80th edition of the 1 1/8-mile Diana for fillies and mares on the Mellon turf course was also Brown's third straight in the race, having won his first in 2011 with Zagora before posting back-to-back wins in 2016-17 with Dacita and Lady Eli, respectively.

The 4-year-old Irish-bred filly by Myboycharlie and Velazquez broke towards the back of the field of seven as Hawksmoor took early control. Hawksmoor, winner of the 2017 Grade 3 Beaugay and Grade 2 New York at Belmont Park, went through an opening quarter-mile in 24.25 seconds and a half in 47.77 with Ultra Brat 1 ½ lengths back in second.

In the far turn, Velazquez began to navigate from his inside position as Joel Rosario, aboard Ultra Brat, made his move after 1:11.62 for six furlongs to take over the lead at the top of the stretch. Velazquez angled his charge five wide in the turn for home and Sistercharlie swapped leads in mid-stretch and put in a determined run through the final eighth of a mile, hitting the wire in 1:46.26 to get up in the nick of time over Ultra Brat.

Sistercharlie returned $4.30 for a $2 win wager.

"Going to the three-eighths pole, I went to go around Javier [Castellano, aboard New Money Honey, No. 3] and he went out so I had to travel a little bit wider from the five-sixteenths pole to the quarter-pole," said Velazquez. "It cost me a little bit down the lane to get her back into rhythm. She switched leads late but when she final did, she gave me that spur down the lane to get down there in time. She's a very good filly. She just has to put it together at the start and break better, but she's definitely talented."

With a career record of five wins and three seconds from nine starts, Saturday's victory pushed Sistercharlie's earnings to $1,126,403.

"In mid-stretch, I was worried that she wouldn't get there, especially when she didn't want to get her correct lead in the lane," said Brown. "When Johnny finally got her there, I could see her surging. It was a matter of being on the right side of that photo. Luckily, she got there."

The Diana, Sistercharlie's fourth start since joining Brown's barn in 2017, marked a cut back in distance for the filly following a close runner-up finish in the 1 ¼-mile Grade 2 New York on June 8 at Belmont, where she was bumped at the start and moved through rivals with a late run to finish a head behind stablemate Fourstar Crook. In her seasonal debut, Sistercharlie came back from a nearly nine-month layoff to post a gutsy, 2 ¼-length victory in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on April 14 at Keeneland.

"She broke better than her last start," Brown noted. "She ran a cleaner race at a shorter distance and got up in time. It's frustrating that she'll put herself in that position early, but that's her. Even before she arrived to my barn, that was her running style - coming from behind. She has a lot of heart and a lot of class. This isn't her ideal distance, nor was the mile and a sixteenth in the Jenny Wiley. But just with sheer class, heart and ability, she can do it."

Brown noted that Sistercharlie could be pointed next for the Grade 1 Beverly D. on August 11 at Arlington Park.

Fellow Brown trainee A Raving Beauty, impeded by traffic in the far turn, rallied late to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind the top two. Hawksmoor held on for fourth, followed by Proctor's Ledge, Brown stablemate New Money Honey, and War Canoe to complete the order of finish.