Brown earns milestone win in Maker's Mark Mile

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Trainer Chad Brown is rarely an underdog in a Grade 1 turf race, especially at Keeneland. Perhaps ironic, then, that his 3,000th career win occurred in Friday's $506,263 Maker's Mark Mile (G1) when such expectations were lessened.

Not that bettors completely dismissed the chances of Zulu Kingdom. After the Mile lost nearly half its expected field due to scratches on Friday morning, Zulu Kingdom settled in as the 5-1 third choice in the field of seven. But the imposing, even-money favorite was reigning turf male champion and Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Notable Speech, using the Maker's Mark Mile as a test run over the host course of this year's Breeders' Cup.

This edition of the Maker's Mark Mile came down to trip. Zulu Kingdom got a good one, Notable Speech not so much. When most of the projected speed was scratched on Friday morning, pacesetting duties were expected to be filled in part by Notable Speech's "rabbit," Aomori City. That colt flubbed the break, though, and when he did get back involved, he failed to apply much pressure to Zulu Kingdom.

Leading most of the way comfortably and building up a cushion of 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go, Zulu Kingdom had enough in the tank to fend off a late surge from One Stripe to win by three parts of a length under Flavien Prat. The time was 1:34.90 on firm ground.

Owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Bill Strauss, and Michael Caruso, Zulu Kingdom returned $12.08.

One Stripe had a half-length margin on Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) winner Rhetorical. Notable Speech, bottled up in traffic through the stretch with no chance to make any sort of competitive bid, settled for fourth. Brilliant Berti, Aomori City, and Tiz Dashing rounded out the order of finish. 

Zulu Kingdom has now crossed the wire first in eight of nine starts, the only exception being the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), in which he finished seventh. He also officially lost his most recent start, the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame (G2) last August, when demoted to fourth on a questionable disqualification as an odds-on choice.

The Maker's Mark Mile, however, was the four-year-old's sixth stakes win. Successful in the With Anticipation (G3) and Pilgrim (G2) at two, he added the Columbia S., American Turf (G1), and Manila (G3) last term.

An Irish-bred ridgling, Zulu Kingdom is by Ten Sovereigns and out of Zindziswa, a daughter of Smart Strike and the Group 2-winning Zinziberine.

Barring the unexpected, Notable Speech is likely to be back some six months from now for his Breeders' Cup Mile title defense. On Friday, a serious challenger emerged, one who likes to win nearly as much as his future Hall of Fame trainer.

Six days after saddling Storm's Wake to a 21-1 upset of the Appalachian (G2), trainer Brian Lynch sent out 7-1 chance Slay the Day to win the $328,150 Limestone (G3), Keeneland's signature race for three-year-old filly turf sprinters.

Stepping up in class following a four-length allowance win in her turf debut, Slay the Day ran down Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) winner Cy Fair by the eighth pole before fending off a late bid from Sapphire Beach to win the 5 1/2-furlong dash by a neck. The final time was a stakes record 1:01.99.

"The way she ran the first time on the grass, she obviously found her surface," Lynch said. "She touted herself all week, that she was doing well, and when we saddled her she never turned a hair."

Owned by Flying Dutchman and ridden by John Velazquez, Slay the Day paid $16.14. Sapphire Beach had a half-length on even-money favorite Cy Fair in the field of nine.

Before moving to the grass, Slay the Day had won once in three starts on dirt, her lone success in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden event at Churchill Downs in mid-November.

Bred in Kentucky by Pin Oak, Slay the Day was sold for $170,000 at Keeneland September. Slay the Day is by Into Mischief and out the multiple stakes-placed Mind Out, a Tapit half-sister to Canadian champion Miss Mischief.