In the first Grade I of the 2024 Saratoga meet, Juddmonte homebred Whitebeam (GB) (m, 5, Caravaggio–Sleep Walk {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) repeated in the Diana Stakes, giving trainer Chad Brown a record ninth win in the race and eighth in the last nine years. It also marked his 154th career Grade I win. Canada's 2022 Horse of the Year and Queen's Plate winner Moira (Ghostzapper) was second, while MGISW Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) finished third.
In a textbook front-running ride from Flavien Prat, Whitebeam lulled them to sleep on the front end, cruising effortlessly to the front while under a snug hold through :24.26 and :49.49 fractions. The field of nine others, including four Brown stablemates, spread out neatly behind her with a mere 10 lengths or so covering the field. The tempo quickened as they turned for home, but Whitebeam had plenty left and held her ground as a tracking Evvie Jets (Twirling Candy) and Didia (Arg) (Orpen) gave way to Moira and Gina Romantica.
“Very proud of her effort today,” said Prat. “Everything went well the first part of the race and when I squeezed her, she was there for me. Nothing more you can ask for. She is one of the best mares in the country and it was great.”
First trained across the Atlantic by Harry and Roger Charlton, Whitebeam was second in a listed stakes at three before shipping stateside to Brown's barn for her 4-year-old campaign. Winless since last year's Diana, which had followed a GIII Gallorette Stakes victory, Whitebeam was kept in training this year and was first seen in May with a second to re-opposing Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) in the GIII Beaugay Stakes and then another runner-up finish, this one to stablemate Chili Flag (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}), in the GI Just A Game Stakes June 7. Every single U.S. start for Whitebeam has netted a Beyer Speed Figure in the 90s or higher, including a triple-digit number in last year's Diana.
“It means a lot to me. It means a lot to my team,” said Brown about winning the Diana for a record ninth time. “There's a very short list of races when I left [as assistant to Bobby] Frankel that it was just instilled in me that he held in high regard and pointed towards. The Diana was way up on that list. For him to hold it in high regard, it really must have meant something. So, I thought if I ever had good enough horses, this is a race I really need to focus on because he's not wrong much. I'm very fortunate to have horses good enough to run in this race, really.”
Whitebeam | Sarah Andrew
Pedigree Notes:
Caravaggio had one heck of a weekend. Porta Fortuna (Ire) won the GI Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket Friday and Whitebeam won the Diana on Saturday. The pair are among 11 graded winners from 17 black-type winners for the son of Scat Daddy, who was the leading European first-crop sire of 2021 and initially stood at Coolmore in Ireland before a brief stint in Kentucky. He has since been acquired by the Japanese Bloodstock Breeders Association (JBBA) and has stood at Shizunai Stallion Station since the 2023 season.
Whitebeam is a sixth-generation homebred for Juddmonte from the spectacular Best in Show family. The Diana winner descends from Monroe's branch of the 1982 Broodmare of the Year. Whitebeam's winning dam, Sleep Walk, has an unraced 2-year-old colt named Nightwalker (GB) by Juddmonte's Frankel (GB) and a yearling colt by No Nay Never.
Saturday, Saratoga
DIANA S.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 7-13, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:48.14, fm.
1–WHITEBEAM (GB), 120, m, 5, by Caravaggio
1st Dam: Sleep Walk (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Scuffle (GB), by Daylami (Ire)
3rd Dam: Tantina, by Distant View
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Chad C Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $275,000. Lifetime Record: SP-Eng, 14-6-4-1, $855,589. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Moira, 120, m, 5, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Devine Aida (MSW & GSP, $273,215), by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Passion, by Came Home
3rd Dam: Rajmata, by Known Fact
($150,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $3,000,000 4yo '23 FTKNOV). O-Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables LLC & SF Racing LLC; B-Adena Springs (ON); T-Kevin Attard. $100,000.
3–Gina Romantica, 122, m, 5, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Special Me, by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Delta Danielle, by Lord Avie
3rd Dam: Domasco Danielle, by Same Direction
($1,025,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Peter M Brant; B-Machmer Hall, Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY); T-Chad C Brown. $60,000.
Margins: 3/4, NO, HF. Odds: 4.80, 6.80, 15.10.
Also Ran: Didia (Arg), Coppice (GB), Mission of Joy, Evvie Jets, Fluffy Socks, Chili Flag (Fr), Neecie Marie. Scratched: Venti Valentine. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#6 Whitebeam takes them gate-to-wire and repeats in the G1 Diana at Saratoga! 🍀🏆
Flavien Prat was aboard for trainer Chad Brown! pic.twitter.com/1RqC9e4ADG
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 13, 2024
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