By Bill Finley
]The word was out when the Chad Brown-trainee Opulent Restraint (Dubawi {Ire}) made her first career start on July 28 at Saratoga. She was sent off as the 7-10 favorite but couldn't come through. She finished fourth, beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
On Sunday at Saratoga she made amends. Sent off this time at 3-2, she won a stretch battle with Good Long Cry (Long On Value) to win the mile-and-a-sixteenth turf maiden by a half-length.
“She has shown ability from day one and Chad liked her a lot,” wining rider Irad Ortiz Jr. said.. “First time out, she ran well, but just got beat. We regrouped, turned the page and she ran today the way we expected.”
Opulent Restraint is owned by Stephanie Seymour Brant and was bred in Ireland by her husband Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. She is the first foal of Significant Form (Creative Cause), a five-time stakes winner whose list of wins includes the GII Ballston Spa S. and three Grade III stakes. She was also owned by Seymour Brant and trained by Chad Brown.
The win Sunday wasn't exactly easy. A half mile into the race, Opulent Restraint was stalking the pace in fourth. She took the lead at the three-sixteenths pole, but Good Long Cry, who set the pace, would not go away under Manny Franco. After a spirited stretch duel, Opulent Restraint prevailed.
“I was right behind Manny and was full of horse,” Ortiz said. “I tipped her out and she responded well. She was still a little green, a little inexperienced. I think she still has something in the tank. We need to keep an eye on her. She can be a nice horse.”
The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf will likely be in Brown's plans. He has won the race six times.
Magenta (Into Mischief) finished third for trainer Todd Pletcher and Repole Stable. The winner paid $5.10 and covered the distance in 1:44.17.
2nd-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 9-1, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:44.17, gd, 1/2 length.
OPULENT RESTRAINT (IRE) (f, 2, Dubawi {Ire}–Significant Form {MGSW, $817,216}, by Creative Cause) was fourth as the 3-5 choice in her career debut here July 28 and was installed the 3-2 second choice to make good this time. Settled in a stalking position early after sitting back a hair at the break, the Irish bred was under a tight hold by Irad Ortiz Jr., who tucked her in along the hedge rounding the first turn. Continuing to pull her rider along as Good Long Cry (Long On Value) carved out a quarter in :23.91 and a :49.16 half, the grey eagerly advanced as a seam opened up turning for home. Taking aim at the pacesetter down the stretch, she collared her rival midstretch and inched clear late to graduate by a half length. Good Long Cry was second with Magenta (Into Mischief) rounding out the trifecta. Favored Love Tempo (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) rallied to be fourth. A half-sister to Grade III winner Hay Dakota (Haynesfield), Significant Form was a $75,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling that was secured for $575,000 by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm the following year at the OBS Spring 2-year-old Sale. A multiple graded stakes winner on the turf for Chad Brown, the grey mare produced Sunday's winner on her first try and followed up another filly by Dubawi (Isadora Duncan) in 2023 and a filly by Kingsman earlier this season. She was bred back to Justify. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $61,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Stephanie Seymour Brant; B-White Birch Farm Sc (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown.–CBossinakis
Jockey @iradortiz sweeps the first two races at Saratoga! 💪
#9 Opulent Restraint graduates today in R2 at on the card for trainer Chad Brown. 🍀 pic.twitter.com/ba0g6c08tt
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 1, 2024
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