Trainer Chad Brown had quantity and quality in Saturday’s graded turf stakes at Belmont Park, saddling four-strong squadrons in each, and accordingly dominated both. Newspaperofrecord revived memories of her all-conquering juvenile days when topping a Brown superfecta in the $100,000 Intercontinental (G3), while Instilled Regard spearheaded an exacta for the barn in the $150,000 Fort Marcy (G2). Jockey Irad Ortiz guided both victorious favorites.
Klaravich Stables’ Newspaperofrecord was bet down to 6-5 favoritism in her Intercontinental comeback. Although winless in three starts last season, the Irish import made life hard on herself by pulling every time. Shortening up to 7 furlongs in this 4-year-old bow figured to help, and the timely arrival of rain that turned the Widener course yielding also served her cause.
Newspaperofrecord had pace company early in Jakarta, but the favorite was simply too quick. With Ortiz just letting her bowl along in her zone, the Lope de Vega filly was happy reeling off fractions of :22.39 and :45.38. Stablemate Regal Glory improved into a chasing second without getting close enough to become an actual threat. Newspaperofrecord responded to her hoofbeats to open up a daylight margin again, widening to four lengths at the wire in a brisk 1:22.71 for the conditions.
Regal Glory was 2 1/4 lengths clear of Brown’s defending Intercontinental champion Significant Form. Viadera rallied for fourth in a useful American premiere, making it a clean sweep for the barn. There was a 7 1/2-length gap back to Saratoga Treasure, followed by Rose Flower, Jakarta, Eyeinthesky, Getmotherarose, and Jc’s Shooting Star. Victim of Love was scratched as well as Slimey, the main-track-only who ran seventh in Friday’s Harmony Lodge.
Newspaperofrecord had been perfect at two, romping in a Saratoga maiden, the Miss Grillo (G2), and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) in 2018. She was upset in her 2019 unveiling in the Edgewood (G3), easily dismissed by Concrete Rose in second. Any thought that was just a fitness issue was dispelled when Newspaperofrecord was outfinished again in the Wonder Again (G3), this time by stablemate Cambier Parc. Her tendency to be rank set the stage for a debacle in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) – a last of nine behind Concrete Rose.
The Intercontinental established that Newspaperofrecord wasn’t merely a juvenile flash-in-the-pan. Brown doesn’t plan to test her beyond a mile anymore, and if she exits this swift prep in good order, the June 20 Just a Game (G1) is next.
Newspaperofrecord sports a record of 7-4-2-0, $850,750. Bred by Times of Wigan in Ireland, the 200,000 guineas ($278,628) Tattersalls October yearling is out of Group 3-winning sprinter Sunday Times. The Holy Roman Emperor mare, who was runner-up in the 2011 Cheveley Park (G1), is also responsible Group 3-placed stakes scorer Classical Times. Newspaperofrecord apparently takes after those nearer maternal relatives, not the further ones like Latrobe, the 2018 Irish Derby (G1) winner and Irish St Leger (G1) runner-up, or Pink Dogwood, last year’s near-misser in the Epsom Oaks (G1).
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OXO Equine’s Instilled Regard, the 2-1 favorite in the Fort Marcy, worked out a good trip. The same couldn’t be said for stablemate Tribhuvan, whose rein broke in the early going. The rudderless Tribhuvan bore out badly, but didn’t interfere with others having left from the outside post 9. Jockey Jose Ortiz helped to keep him out of the way as he advanced to chase pacesetting Somelikeithotbrown, and he executed an orderly retreat.
Somelikeithotbrown carved out splits of :22.89, :46.96, and 1:11.30 when the inner course was still good. But rounding the far turn, he appeared vulnerable, and Instilled Regard was going best of those ranging up to challenge.
Under a well-timed move, Instilled Regard took command entering the stretch and got the jump on the closers. Stablemate Devamani rolled belatedly to cut the winning margin to neck as Instilled Regard clocked 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.07.
Somelikeithotbrown stuck on bravely to repel Synchrony and save third. Synchrony’s brief rally flattened out. Flop Shot didn’t offer much in his U.S. debut for Brown, but Peter Brant’s Arqana Arc Sale topper (€850,000 or approximately $933,215) might fare better with this under his belt. Social Paranoia and Temple, who was checked, concluded the order of finish. Gucci Factor was pulled up and vanned off, according to NYRA.
Instilled Regard, a $1.05 million OBS March purchase, has earned $763,240 from a 17-4-3-4 line. Initially on the Triple Crown trail for Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, he won the Lecomte (G3), placed in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1), and finished fourth to Justify in the 2018 Kentucky Derby (G1). Instilled Regard then switched barns and ultimately surfaces. His turf highlights include a victory in the Dec. 14 Ft. Lauderdale (G2) along with thirds in the Hollywood Derby (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). He was moving forward from a sixth in the March 21 Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds.
Bred by KatieRich Farms in Kentucky, Instilled Regard is a son of Arch and the Forestry mare Enhancing, who is a three-quarter sister to Good Reward and Pure Prize. His second dam is Hall of Famer Heavenly Prize.
