By Joe Bianca
Now that the emotional journey of getting Lady Eli (Divine Park) back to the races has been completed, the business of reestablishing her as a force in the filly and mare turf division commences. And the Sheep Pond Partners colorbearer needn't look beyond the limits of her own barn to see the filly she has to get past, matching up with fellow Chad Brown trainee and GI Beverly D. S. victress Sea Calisi (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}) in the GI Flower Bowl Invitational S., a “Win and You're In” race for the Breeders' Cup.
Lady Eli suffered her first defeat in seven career starts Aug. 27 at Saratoga when finishing second in the GII Ballston Spa S., her first start in nearly 14 months following a bout with laminitis. The 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf heroine made a big move to lead into deep stretch that day before getting run down late by Strike Charmer (Smart Strike), who re-opposes today.
“I thought she ran very well, considering how long she had been off and what she had been through,” Brown told the NYRA notes team. “Unfortunately, it didn't work out for her, but she ran very, very fast, and was second-best that day. She got a lot out of that race. I've really seen her move forward in her subsequent workouts. She should be fitter and stronger for this race. I think she will take a step forward.”
Martin Schwartz's Sea Calisi, who breaks one post outside of her stablemate, easily conquered her stateside debut in the GII Sheepshead Bay S. on yielding turf here May 7 and ran second with a nightmare trip in the GII New York S. June 10 before passing 10 horses to score in the Beverly D. Aug. 13 at Arlington.
“It's been more of the same from Sea Calisi since the Beverly D.,” Brown said. “She is a solid-training horse, not spectacular. She's a small filly, very lightly framed, but trains well enough. Hopefully, there is enough pace in the race and they both work a good trip out. I'm not going to tell the jocks too much.”
Brown is looking for his third consecutive victory in the Flower Bowl after capturing the 2014 and 2015 renewals with Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). Schwartz and Brown hooked up to take the 2011 Flower Bowl with Stacelita (Monsun {Ger}).
Ame Bleue (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is an intriguing shipper for legendary French trainer Andre Fabre. The chestnut filly broke through with a career-best effort when second at 21-1 in the G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet S. Aug. 21 at Deauville before completing the exacta again versus males in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte Sept. 17. Ame Bleue's dam was the brilliant Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), a three-time G1 winner who also ran second in both the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Hong Kong Vase.
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