Alpha Delta Stables’ Kentucky homebred Raging Sea needed
every bit of her trademark heart and grit to capture her third straight graded
stakes in Sunday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Beldame Stakes at Belmont at the Big A.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown, who also
saddled third-place finisher Signal From Noise, said he was proud of Raging Sea’s
toughness and ability to grind out the win in the 1 1/8-mile route for fillies
and mares.

Click here for Belmont at Aqueduct entries and results.

“Her soundness and durability, getting her into the race,
doing just fine,” Brown said. “Traveling good, (we knew) she’s going to show up.”

Dispatched as the 1-9 favorite from post 4 in the field of
six for the 86th running of the Beldame, Raging Sea had her head turned when
the gate opened, and she bobbled at the break to get away last under Flavien
Prat.

“She can be a little tense in there, so sometimes she’ll
break very well and sometimes a bit slower,” Prat said. 

Once she settled into her stride, she raced wide near the
back of the pack while a rank Majestic Creed took them through pedestrian
splits of 23.98 seconds, 48.31, 1:13.34, and 1:37.88. Raging Sea was tipped out
in the far turn and was four wide in the upper stretch to begin her strong
rally. 

Although she was in front at the eighth pole, she
encountered strong resistance to her inside from a determined and quick closing
Batucada, who engaged Raging Sea at the sixteenth pole before the two fought a
fully-extended and spirited battle to the wire. Raging Sea got the best of it,
winning by a head with a final time of 1:50.41 on the fast track. Signal From
Noise was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third. Rounding out the order of finish
were Frosty O Toole, Majestic Creed, and Libban, who was eased in the stretch
and walked off under her own power.

“It’s always better to get a target and once she gets that
target, she tends to stay with it,” Prat said. “As long as she keeps her head
in front, it’s fine. I took the lead by the three-sixteenths pole, but
then she kind of waited on horses. I thought it was a good race and hopefully a
good setup for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Brown pointed the 5-year-old daughter of Curlin and the
Storm Cat mare Stormy Welcome to the Beldame as her final prep race for the Breeders’
Cup Distaff on Nov. 2 at Del Mar, where she is expected to once again meet
reigning champion older dirt mare Idiomatic. In her last race Raging Sea upset
Idiomatic in the Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. 23 at Saratoga. She registered a
career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.

“I chose this race, because I thought there was a
possibility she might bounce a bit off her last effort. It was just such a
strong run up at Saratoga to run down a super horse (Idiomatic), and I thought
she’d feel that race in her next one,” Brown said. “So I thought I’d maybe pick
an easier spot for her. I think we saw a little bit of her hanging and waiting
a little bit, which she has done in the past. I also think she felt that race
at Saratoga late today. That was part of my reasoning for staying home and
running in a much easier spot than the Spinster.

“The more I thought about it, I thought she’d feel that race
from Saratoga and react a bit. I’m happy to get maybe a soft bounce out of the
way off that race and hopefully circle back to that race at Saratoga if you’re
going to go out West (to the Breeders’ Cup) and tackle the best.”

Raging Sea, owned by Jon Clay’s Alpha Delta Stables, has won
six of her last seven races, including a score in the Shuvee (G2) in July at
Saratoga. She improved her record to 12: 7-1-1.

Brown said he was pleased with the narrow score ahead of a
potentially bigger task next month at Del Mar.

“I view it as I handicapped a bit of a bounce into this
race, and I was relieved to sort of escape with a victory knowing that she felt
her last race,” Brown said. “I’m confident with the four weeks I have and her
not having to run a fast figure today that she’ll be able to again hopefully
circle back to that Saratoga race. That race with the right pace setup is good
enough to at least be competitive out there.”

The Kentucky-bred’s career earnings were boosted to
$1,198,478 with the $137,500 winner’s share of the purse. She returned $2.20
for a $2 win bet.

Scythian survives turbulent Miss Grillo

Scythian took advantage of a heady ride by Júnior Alvarado
to defeat 11 other 2-year-old fillies and win the $200,000 Miss Grillo (G2) and
advance to the Breeders’ Cup.

The Miss Grillo was a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1, and the bay daughter of Tiz the
Law earned an automatic invitation.

Nonetheless, the victory for Scythian, Larry Goichman’s New
York-homebred who is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, contained plenty of
drama.

New York-bred Marvelous Madison, who also is a Goichman
homebred but is trained by Brown, was in prime position entering the
stretch after setting sensible fractions of 23.26, 48.71 and 1:13.47 under
Manny Franco. Making just her second start after a Sept. 2 win at Saratoga in
state-bred company, she bolted to the outside while coming out of the far turn
and nearing the quarter pole. When she did, Brown-trained Lavender Disaster was
forced to check under Irad Ortiz Jr., and Grace and Grit, who was ridden by
Kendrick Carmouche, was part of the fracas. Marvelous Madison carried out the
other two fillies to the widest part of the course, and all chances were lost
to the trio.

Fortunately, all three kept their balance and remained on
their feet. Grace and Grit was settled by Carmouche and able to finish, winding
up 10th. Lavender Disaster, who appeared poised to make her move just before
the incident was eased to the wire and wound up the last of the dozen fillies.
Marvelous Madison also was eased, finishing 11th.

“My filly just bolted,” Franco said.

There was a stewards inquiry that ended with no change to
the order of finish.

Scythian, who was stalking the pace on the inside and
therefore was able to avoid the trouble, inherited the lead in the upper
stretch under urging by Alvarado and drew off along the rail to win by 2 1/2 lengths
with a final time of 1:42.68 on the firm footing. Virgin Colada, the other of
Brown’s three runners in the field, closed from deep to finish second under
Flavien Prat, a head in front of Correto.

“It was just bad luck. (Virgin Colada) was just out of
position, and she just didn’t really help Flavien get any position. It all
opened up, and she was able to get second,” Brown said. “Lavender Disaster,
what a disaster really for this horse (Marvelous Madison) bolting. There’s
nothing I can do. … I can’t believe she did that. She looked like a
winner every step of the way, Lavender Disaster.”

Although Virgin Colada was not involved in the mishap and
did manage to get second, Prat had far from an ideal experience aboard the
Resolute Racing filly.

“I wasn’t very pleased with my trip down the
backside. I just felt I was a bit too far. She didn’t break very well, and
if you don’t break very well, you get shuffled back right away,” he said. “Those
horses didn’t make the turn, and I find myself not far from the lead turning
for home. She made a good run. I just couldn’t get by the winner.”

As displeased as Prat and Brown were, the connections of
Scythian, who beat the boys in a state-bred maiden on Aug. 30 at Saratoga in
her prior race, had reason to celebrate. 

“I was where I wanted to be. I got to save ground right away
coming into the first turn, and the second turn I was still saving enough
ground. If I had to go inside or outside, I knew I already had saved plenty for
me to have enough horse at the end,” Alvarado said. “She ran great. She ran
like we thought she would. She beat the boys last time, and she was 11-1 today.
You don’t have to put me favorite, but I thought she was very live going
against the fillies. Whatever happens, I still think she would be very tough.
When I turned for home, she gave me a nice turn of foot. She won very
impressively today.”

Moreover, Scythian was able to avoid the misfortune that
befell the other three fillies.

“I was just looking at Manny. Manny’s filly was looking like
she wanted to bolt from past the three-eighths pole. So I was just trying to
figure it out. I’ve got horse, where do I go? Is he going to pull her back
inside, or is she going to bolt? Knowing I had plenty of horse to make my move
whenever I wanted to, it gave me a chance to wait a little longer. When that
happened, that’s when I zoomed in the inside and she took off after that,”
he said.

Not only is Scythian now headed to the Breeders’ Cup, but
the win also was the first for Mott at the current meet.

“We’ve had 10 seconds at the meet, five in stakes. It’s
always good to win one of these,” Mott’s assistant Leana Willaford said. “She
ran really well. Júnior gave her a perfect trip. He had horse anyways (even
with the incident in the turn). He was in a perfect spot.”

The complete order of finish was Scythian, Virgin Colada,
Correto, She’s Got Will, Rare Art, Shifty, Annie Goodbody, Salt, Daisy Flyer,
Grace and Grit, Marvelous Madison, and Lavender Disaster.

Scythian returned $24.20 for a $2 win bet and her record now
stands at 3-2-1-0. She has now earned $177,500 after bringing home $110,000
from her Miss Grillo win.

Abientot wins by neck in Matron

Abientot waited until late to make a move, but jockey Dylan
Davis pushed the button at the right time, allowing his charge to overtake
three rivals from the far outside to secure the win by a neck in the $175,000
Matron (G3), a six-furlong, outer-turf sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

Abientot, who broke her maiden at second asking in July at
Saratoga, made her third stakes start for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse and
notched her first win against elevated class with a stalking trip.

Flirting With Time led the full 12-horse field through the
opening quarter-mile in 21.58 seconds and the half in 44.48 over the firm
going. Abientot, who broke from post 10 for owner Tracy Farmer, was near the
rear of the field exiting the turn with a six-wide run, but the position
allowed open daylight in front.

?The
Not This Time filly had plenty in reserve under Davis’s encouragement, using
the open outside lane to pick off competitors one by one and then overtaking
Laurice, Yougottahavehope and Civetta in the shadow of the wire, completing the
course in 1:08.31 for her second win in five career starts.

Civetta edged Yougottahavehope by a half-length for
runner-up honors, and 2-1 favorite Will Not Be Swayed finished fourth. Laurice,
Pop Idol, Baytown Butterfly, Miriam’s Fire, Flirting With Time,
I’mwishingonastar, Serene Spirit and Second Chance completed the order of
finish.

“She’s just tiny, and we’ve been able to bring her along
since April,” said Shane Tripp, assistant to Casse. “She’s a barn favorite. The
way she came home today was unbelievable, and Dylan has got to be one of the
better riders on the planet right now. We’re blessed to have him in our life.”

“She ran great.
Impressive race,” Davis said. “She just keeps putting up one better performance
after another. I wanted to be involved and have a good break. I thought maybe
mid-pack would be the best place to be. I broke her and came out with some
intention, but they were just running her off her feet, so plan B, sit back. I
tried to save as much ground as possible.”

Abientot, off at 5-1, paid $12.20 for a $2 win bet. After
finishing third in the Untapable with a wide trip last month at Kentucky Downs,
she made a triumphant return to Aqueduct, where she finished fourth in her
debut in June. The victory improved her career earnings to $255,400.

“She has a lot of heart,” Tripp said. “She’s real gritty and
honest. She trains real forwardly, and she’s good to be around. I didn’t think
she’d come home like she did and that maybe we’d have a different result, but
once he tipped her out and she went to running. … I’m just tickled to death
and happy for Tracy Farmer and Mark. They make it all happen and give us a job.”