With the temperature in Saratoga Springs, NY hovering in the 30’s, our horses are heating up around the world in February.
February got off to a rousing start with a win by Chaysenbryn at Laurel Park in Maryland last Saturday. Chaysenbryn is a 3 year old filly bred similar to multiple Grade 1 Winner Runhappy. Prior to Saturday’s race, Chaysenbryn ran once at Saratoga in August as a 2 year old. In that race it was obvious she needed to mature further so we (Neal Allread and myself) sent her to a farm in Western New York. When she went back into training in December it was clear Chaysenbryn was a different horse. In Saturday’s race she split horses three times (down the backstretch, at the top of the stretch and near the finish line) to win drawing away. Her trainer Jeremiah Englehart believes she will relish races longer than the six furlongs (3/4’s of a mile) she ran on Saturday. We are looking at a one mile race at Aqueduct (New York) on March 8 for her next start. Here is a replay of the race.
Chaysenbryn
Chestertown remains on the Kentucky Derby Trail and will race this Saturday at The Fairgrounds in New Orleans. Saturday’s race is 1 1/8 miles around two turns. Chestertown’s trainer Steve Asmussen believes the race will further Chestertown’s development as he has only had three lifetime starts. A good showing on Saturday will determine where we (West Point Thoroughbreds, Chester and Mary Broman, Woodford Racing) go next with Chestertown. To make the Kentucky Derby field he would likely need to win one of the final Derby prep races (Wood Memorial, Louisiana Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Arkansas Derby) in March.
Here is Chestertown’s race entry.
Campaign will have his first start of 2020 on Presidents’ Day (Monday, February 17) at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The race is the $500,000 Grade 2 Razorback Handicap. Campaign has been training well at Santa Anita Racetrack in Southern California. Here is Campaign’s recent workout.
Lastly, Engage ships to Saudi Arabia next week to run in the $1,500,000 Riyadh Cup Sprint on February 29. The Riyadh Cup Sprint is one of seven races in Saudi Arabia with purses of more than $40 million!
With all the great upcoming races in February, I can’t wait for March!