Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

The dominance of trainer Chad Brown's stable has been undeniable by any measure this season.

Leading the nation in earnings, graded stakes wins, and stakes victories, Brown has left practically no stone unturned as the New York native seeks out the Eclipse Award hardware for Outstanding Trainer which has eluded him despite some past brilliance.

Big accolades are often decided on big days, and Brown can officially check that box off this season after New Money Honey collared pacesetter Lull in the stretch and then held off a late run from Coasted to take the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park. 

Owned by E Five Racing Thoroughbreds, New Money Honey gave Brown his eighth victory in a Breeders' Cup race and his third triumph in the Juvenile Fillies Turf to go along with wins from Maram (2008) and Lady Eli (2014).

"She's a terrific chapter in a terrific story," Brown said.

Brown's aptitude with turf fillies is well documented with New Money Honey making a bid to become his latest grass standout. After running second in her debut at Saratoga Race Course in September, the bay daughter of Medaglia d'Oro   jumped into stakes company with authority, winning the Miss Grillo Stakes over a yielding Belmont Park turf Oct. 2 despite having to sit off a tepid opening half of :51.57.

She received an ideal setup in the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Turf. With Lull cutting fractions of :22.35 and :45.75 while holding a three-length advantage down the backstretch, jockey Javier Castellano rated New Money Honey in an outside path fourth. 

At the head of the lane with Lull beginning to shorten her stride, Castellano let the reins out on New Money Honey and got a dream response as she surged past her weakening rival and had enough to turn back a gutsy run from Coasted.

"We talked about it, if she could break clean and be up in the forward group and somehow get clear at some point in a big field, which is a lot to ask, she'd have a good shot because she's training so well," Brown said. "I've had so much success with Javier, and we have great chemistry together. He studies the races very well. And if he's ridden a horse before, he learns a lot from it and applies it to the next race."

For Castellano, it was his seventh Breeders' Cup victory and first in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Cavale Doree rallied from well back to get third as Lull faded to fourth. Graded stakes winner La Coronel, sent off the 2-1 favorite, ended up sixth after having to make her bid from post 13 in the 14-horse field.

"I was farther back than I wanted and was five, six wide so it was very difficult to win from there," said Florent Geroux, jockey of La Coronel.

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, New Money Honey improves her record to two wins from three starts with $686,600 in earnings. Stalwart as she is on the turf, Brown said he wouldn't rule out putting the bay filly on his list of possible Kentucky Oaks contenders.

"I think the sky's the limit for her," Brown said. "It's not even out of the question that we give her a spin on the dirt before a race like the Kentucky Oaks just to be sure. I think she's that talented."  – Alicia Wincze Hughes