LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Chad Brown had a huge smile on his face as he scored five points with jockey Jose Ortiz after his breakthrough at his most cherished track.
The successful trainer was smiling and congratulating him after Friday night’s Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, hoping the emerging colt would bring him double the celebration in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
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“I’m pretty confident,” Brown said after Always A Runner ran late on the final turn to win the marquee race for 3-year-old fillies by 1 1/4 lengths under the lights.
“I know I have a good horse and it’s a tough race. But when the horse is training and giving you a good feeling, you feel good.”
Brown feels good about all his Derby competitors, although his two signature wins in the Triple Crown series came later at the Preakness. Still, the five-time Eclipse Award-winning coach’s two second-place finishes at Churchill Downs since 2018 are impressive enough for him to be considered an annual contender in the Run for the Roses.
Two years ago, Sierra lost narrowly to Mystic Dan after attacking from behind after being bumped at the start. Good Magic fared much better in 2018, but finished 2 1/2 behind Justify, who went on to win the Triple Crown for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
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Considering how “Always A Runner” overcame pneumonia last autumn and took a long break to win the Oaks this year and remain unbeaten in three career starts, it’s no wonder Brown was asked if Emerging could follow suit in the Derby after the same illness shelved his campaign for two years.
“She didn’t have to be here today,” Brown said of the dark brown filly. “She didn’t have to run anymore. She couldn’t have run easily. I’ve had that happen to a few horses.
“The fact that she not only overcame the odds but came here today as an undefeated horse at the Oaks is remarkable.”
Emerging Market, meanwhile, won by 1 3/4 lengths in his February debut at Tampa Bay Downs and then defeated Pavlovian by a length in the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 21. The colt will start Saturday at 15-1 with Flavien Pratt in 15th place.
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Brown is currently enjoying his first win at the Oaks, which seemed inevitable given how the Forever Runner ran patiently and confidently before the final turn in the twilight. Whether Emer can carry that momentum into the Derby and winner’s circle remains to be seen, but there are things Brown could take from his strategy of pitting two horses against each other over two legs beforehand.
“I stick to what works,” Brown said. “So, two starts, we should do well. But that’s another horse that did well.
“Like this mare, she’s been signaling to everyone here at Churchill all week that she’s training well and the betting public sees that and she’s at least favored or co-favored. I have another horse in training as well.”
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AP Horse Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing