LEXINGTON, Ky. – Carl Spackler’s reappearance Friday at Keeneland in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile marks the first salvo in what could be a barrage of Chad Brown-trained graded stakes runners this spring in Kentucky.
Carl Spackler comes into his 5-year-old debut the top-rated middle-distance turf horse in North America. His sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile came after he’d peaked winning the Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga and the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile here in October. Among his eight rivals in the $650,000 Maker’s Mark are Integration, who’s not certain to start, and Trikari, set to make his 4-year-old debut.
Saturday, Brown sends out Excellent Truth, who looks like the best French import Brown’s had in a couple years and is one of nine older fillies and mares in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley. Excellent Truth makes her first North American start and first since John Stewart’s Resolute Racing bought her at a French auction for about $1.7 million in December. In her final start before the sale, Excellent Truth, a Group 3 winner, finished second behind the top-class Mqse de Sevigne in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild.
Brown said other fillies and mares of note will ship to Kentucky to race in the next month or so.
On turf, Saffron Moon, winner of the Endeavour Stakes last out, is pointed to the $400,000 Modesty on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Brown also hopes to start three major dirt fillies at Churchill in early May.
Raging Sea, second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, will make her 5-year-old bow May 2 in the $1 million La Troienne. Randomized, a multiple Grade 1 winner who in her last start finished fourth Aug. 23 in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, also is a possible La Troienne runner. Ways and Means, winner of the Grade 1 Test last summer but fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, is working steadily toward her 2025 debut. Brown would like to make the $1 million Derby City Distaff on May 3 but isn’t certain the filly will be ready.
Brown has Spirit of St Louis aimed at the $1 million Old Forester Turf Classic on May 3. Spirit of St Louis won the Pegasus World Cup Turf in January but followed that with a fourth-place finish March 22 in the Muniz Memorial at Fair Grounds.
“I’d just throw that race out – it was a weird result,” Brown said.
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