LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Chad Brown has won nearly every major race there is for turf horses in America, and he wasted no time winning the newest Grade 1 on the grass beneath the twin spires. His Zulu Kingdom stormed through the stretch to a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1, $1 million American Turf for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
The American Turf was just upgraded to a Grade 1 this season by the American Graded Stakes Committee, and Churchill subsequently raised its purse to $1 million from $600,000. Brown has now won this race a total of four times, breaking the record he shared with Dale Romans for victories in this event. His other wins came with Noble Tune (2013), Camelot Kitten (2016), and Digital Age (2019).
In Zulu Kingdom ($6.34), Brown appears to have an upwardly mobile 3-year-old in this division. The Irish-bred ridgling has now won five of six starts. After winning his debut for Andre Fabre in France, he was purchased to come to the US for Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael Caruso. He won the Grade 3 With Anticipation and the Grade 2 Pilgrim in New York, then suffered his only career blip when fading to seventh after he was prominently placed early in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar, a race in which rider Flavien Prat lost his crop in the stretch. He returned to action to win the Columbia in March at Tampa.
There were several other graded stakes winners or multiple stakes winners in this field to provide a good litmus test, including Mi Bago, a four-time stakes winner, looking to rebound after finishing 10th on turf rated "good" in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland. Trainer Mark Casse had expressed some reservations about running if the turf was very soft, but ultimately kept Mi Bago in. Through the day, riders had said that the Churchill turf, exposed to a steady drizzle all day, was playing firmer than the Keeneland turf, which had been subjected to historic rainfall in Lexington.
Mi Bago made the early pace in the American Turf, with jockey Jose Ortiz keeping him well off the rail through an opening quarter in 23.57 seconds, and a relaxed half in 47.76. Ortiz attempted to begin stealing away around the far turn, opening just more than two lengths at one point. Zulu Kingdom (90 Beyer Speed Figure) and Prat, who had always been well placed in the vanguard, had saved some ground around the far turn, and shifted outside for a clear stretch run, as Mi Bago was still well off the rail. Brown was thrilled to see Prat had stayed inside until he was ready to call on his mount.
"Flavien and I discussed his most recent races, and the one thing we most wanted was to get this horse covered up early," Brown said. "When he sees open daylight, he wants to pull. But fortunately today, a couple of horses went out early in front of us and we the exact trip we were hoping for."
Mi Bago fought on gamely through upper stretch, but Zulu Kingdom collared him inside the furlong grounds and continued to widen to his final margin. Meanwhile, New Century and Test Score battled their way up the inside while rallying in tandem and caught Mi Bago late for a photo finish for the minor awards. Transylvania winner Test Score nosed out New Century - making his first start for Brendan Walsh after being in the barn about three weeks - for second, with the latter a half-length ahead of Mi Bago.
After the top four, it was 2 1/4 lengths to Giocoso, followed, in order, by Iron Man Cal, Scipio, Maui Strong, Golden Afternoon, Maximum Promise, Megalodon, Hammerhead, Classic of Course, and Warlander. Charlie's to Blame - who would have been a pace factor - was scratched, along with also-eligibles A. P. Kid, Discreet Dancer, and Spirit Rags.
The time was 1:41.61 for the 1 1/16 miles - a distance Brown had been somewhat skeptical about his charge relishing, despite winning the With Anticipation and Pilgrim at that distance. The colt debuted at seven furlongs, and the Columbia was at a mile.
"I thought this horse was basically a miler but he handled the mile and a sixteenth today just fine," Brown said. "That might open up some new possibilities."
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