Brilliant Berti prevails with patient tactics in Wise Dan

Favored Brilliant Berti topped an exacta for trainer Cherie DeVaux in Saturday’s $499,250 Wise Dan (G2), the centerpiece of three turf stakes on the Stephen Foster Day program at Churchill Downs. In the $210,000 Tepin S. for three-year-old fillies, Lush Lips drew off in a romp, and Minaret Station defied a lengthy layoff in the $249,000 American Derby.

The American Derby was the final leg of the all-stakes Derby City 6 Jackpot. Once again, there was no single winning ticket, triggering a $1,413,928 carryover going into Sunday. A mandatory payout is on tap because Sunday is the closing day of the Spring Meet, and track officials are forecasting a multimillion-dollar Derby City 6 pool. The sequence spans Races 6-11, beginning at 3:18 p.m. ET Sunday. 

Wise Dan (G2) 

Klein Racing’s homebred Brilliant Berti just suffered his first local loss in the May 31 Arlington (G3), where Mercante denied him in a minor upset. The two were set for a rematch in the Wise Dan until Mercante was scratched. If Brilliant Berti lost the opportunity to turn the tables, he seized the chance to regain the winning thread over Churchill’s Matt Winn turf as the 2.04-1 favorite. 

Regular pilot Brian Hernandez Jr., who earlier guided Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna to victory in the Fleur de Lis (G2), knew exactly how to work out the winning trip. Instead of attempting front-running tactics as he did in the Arlington, Brilliant Berti reverted to his typical habit of settling off the pace. That played more to his strength – superior acceleration.

“In the Arlington Stakes, I got floated pretty wide going into the first turn, and it sort of forced me to go,” Hernandez said. “Today I was able to track just off the pace, much more to his style. He really picked it up down the lane late for me to get the job done.”

Brilliant Berti was reserved in fourth as Seminole Chief dawdled through splits of :24.96 and :50.31 on the firm turf. Mi Hermano Ramon upped the tempo on the far turn, moving to take over by the six-furlong mark in 1:14.17, and Brilliant Berti began to take closer order himself. 

At the top of the stretch, Mi Hermano Ramon floated wide, but that didn’t dissuade Brilliant Berti from tackling him on the outside. Meanwhile, a yawning gap opened up on the inner for Lagynos and for Brilliant Berti’s stablemate, Taking Candy, who rallied in tandem. 

Brilliant Berti quickened best to prevail by three-quarters of a length, covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.41. Taking Candy nipped Lagynos by a nose to give DeVaux the exacta.

“(Brilliant Berti) is such a testament to the Klein family and their breeding program,” DeVaux said. “So much credit goes to Richard (Klein) and his family for their program. (Taking Candy) ran a huge race as well. He fought hard to get second.”

Mi Hermano Ramon checked in another length astern in a dead-heat fourth with Fort Washington, who could have used more pace on the cutback in trip. Well in arrears were Henro and Seminole Chief. Event Detail was a vet scratch.

Brilliant Berti’s scorecard stands at 11-7-2-0, $2,170,745. The hero of last year’s American Derby in his stakes debut, the bay was runner-up in the Secretariat (G2) at Colonial Downs before capturing the Gun Runner S. at Kentucky Downs and the Bryan Station (G3) at Keeneland. Brilliant Berti was a non-threatening eighth in his comeback in the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds, but rebounded beneath the Twin Spires in the Opening Verse S. on “Thurby” prior to the Arlington. The Wise Dan enhanced his local mark to 6-5-1-0.

The Kentucky-bred is by Noble Mission, the accomplished full brother to Frankel, and out of the Grade 2-placed multiple stakes scorer Believe in Bertie. That daughter of Langfuhr descends from multiple Grade 2 vixen Allamerican Bertie, from the family of Grade 2 winners Hurricane Bertie and Hang the Moon, as well as multiple Grade 1 turf star Beach Patrol.

Tepin S.

Lush Lips was another favorite to bounce back from a runner-up effort at Churchill, although her case was a bit different. The Brendan Walsh pupil was no match for the dazzling Nitrogen in the Edgewood (G2) on Kentucky Oaks Day.

In their previous meeting, however, Lush Lips succumbed to Nitrogen by only a half-length in the Florida Oaks (G3). The key difference was that Lush Lips had controlled the pace at Tampa Bay Downs, but in the Edgewood, she broke a bit tardily, found herself behind early, and got rank.

With no Nitrogen on the premises Saturday, Lush Lips was bet down to 1.62-1 favoritism in the Tepin. The European import didn’t leave the gate perfectly here, but she was better, and most of all, she raced in a kindlier manner.

“She broke really well today,” a returning Flavien Prat said, “and I think that helped us compared to the (Edgewood). Last time, she had a tough time settling. Today I was able to get her settled and was in a perfect spot to come with a big run.”

Indeed, Prat’s recap might be viewed as an understatement. After biding her time behind fractions of :24.13, :47.96, and 1:12.30, Lush Lips kissed the field goodbye down the lane. The Ten Sovereigns filly rolled by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:35.98 for the mile.

The 14.85-1 Princess Attitude was best of the rest, and Vixen reported home third. Ninth Island, who grabbed the lead on the backstretch, tired to fourth. Next came Favor to You, initial pacesetter Something Stronger, and Love You Anyway. Fixin to Bee was withdrawn in favor of Thursday’s Wild Applause S. at Saratoga.

Campaigned by Medallion Racing, Steve Weston, Stewart Hoffman, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Mrs. M.V. Magnier, Lush Lips improved her record to 8-3-3-0, $321,655. The bay began her career in Ireland with Donnacha O’Brien and burst onto the scene for Walsh at Gulfstream Park this winter.

“She’s a quality filly,” Walsh said, “and we’re so happy to get her back to the winner’s circle today. I didn’t really give Flavien any sort of instructions before the race. It played out beautifully. She was able to come with a strong run from off the pace and really finished up well.”

The Pocock Family bred Lush Lips in Great Britain. Out of the Arcano mare Lamyaa, she hails from the family of German highweight sprinter Electric Beat, stamina-laden Group 2 winner Melo Melo, and further back, top-class miler Paco Boy.

American Derby

The storyline about Kentucky Derby (G1) also-rans Tiztastic and Flying Mohawk returning to turf in the American Derby ultimately proved anticlimactic. Flying Mohawk scratched from this spot and entered Friday’s Belmont Derby (G1) at Saratoga, while 1.46-1 favorite Tiztastic trailed the five-horse field throughout.

Instead, it was OXO Equine’s Minaret Station who starred in his belated sophomore bow. Sidelined since upsetting last October’s Bourbon (G2) at 38-1, the Will Walden pupil picked up right where he left off and extended his winning streak to three.

Minaret Station enjoyed a textbook stalk-and-pounce trip with regular rider Cristian Torres. The 2.72-1 chance saved ground in third behind slow splits of :25.71, :50.74, and 1:14.75, angled out for the drive, and outkicked his foes. 

Native Runner got up for second, a half-length away, with the same margin back to front-running Freedom’s Not Free. Siesta Key checked in fourth, followed by Tiztastic. Joining Flying Mohawk on the list of scratches were Reagan’s Wit, who entered Friday’s Manila (G3) at Saratoga; Anegada, who’s in at Ellis Park next Saturday; Giocoso; and Soleil Volant, who placed third in Saturday’s Tale of the Cat S. at Monmouth Park.

Minaret Station has earned $377,968 from his 4-3-0-1 line, exclusively in turf routes. The bay graduated at Horseshoe Indianapolis last September and jumped up next time in the Bourbon. 

“He has such a big turn of foot, and that’s been his key to success,” Walden said. “I’m very thankful the owner (Larry Best) allowed us to take our time with getting him back to the races. He definitely rewarded us today.”

“All the credit goes to Will,” Torres said, “and everyone at the barn – from the exercise riders to his groom and hotwalker. In the early part of the race, he wasn’t traveling all that well, but down the backside, he was able to get back in the bit. There wasn’t a lot of pace up front, but I was confident turning for home he’d come with his late kick.”

Minaret Station is from the first crop of the Arch stallion Instilled Regard, also campaigned by OXO. The Kentucky-bred sophomore is the first foal from multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Beau Recall, by Sir Prancealot.