The successful trainer continued to smile during a congratulatory glove after Friday night’s Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, hoping the Emerging Market colt can double the celebration for him in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
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“I feel confident,” Brown said after Always A Runner came late into the final turn to win the feature race for 3-year-old fillies by 1 1/4 lengths under the lights.
“I know I have a good horse, it’s a tough race. But when the horses train and give you a good feeling, you feel good.”
Brown has done well with everyone in the Derby, although his two signature wins in the Triple Crown series came later in the Preakness. Nonetheless, the five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer has finished second at Churchill Downs twice since 2018, impressive enough to be considered an annual contender in Run For The Roses.
Two years ago, Sierra Leone stormed from behind after being beaten at the start, only to lose by a nose to Mystik Dan. Good Magic had a much better trip in 2018, but finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Justify, who won the Triple Crown for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
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Considering how Always A Runner overcame pneumonia last fall and a long layoff to win the Oaks and remain undefeated in three career starts this year, it’s no surprise Brown was asked if Emerging Market could do the same in the Derby after the same illness shelved his 2-year-old campaign.
“She didn’t have to be here today,” Brown said of the dark brown filly. “She didn’t have to run again. She never could have run easily. It’s happened to me with several horses.
“The fact that he not only overcame it and finished here today as an undefeated horse in the Oaks is remarkable.”
Meanwhile, Emerging Market won his February debut at Tampa Bay Downs by 1 3/4 lengths before beating Pavlovian by a head in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 21. The colt will go out as a 15-1 choice on Saturday with Flavien Pratt aboard from the No. 15 post.
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For now, Brown is savoring his first Oaks victory, which almost seemed inevitable considering how Always A Runner ran patiently and confidently before turning the final lap into the twilight. Whether Emerging Market can carry that momentum into the Derby and the winner’s circle remains to be seen, but Brown has something to build on from his strategy of running both horses through two-lap races beforehand.
“I stick with the things that are working,” Brown said. “So with two starts, we should be fine. But that’s another horse that’s doing well.”
“Like this filly, she was giving signals all week here at Churchill to everyone that she was training well, and the betting public saw it and she came out at least favored or co-favored. My other horse is training just as well.”
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AP Horse Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing