Ways and Means will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
Brown has always been high on the talent of Ways and Means , and he was rewarded for his confidence as she aced the $485,000 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
“We always knew she was a true grade 1 horse,” Brown said. “She deserved this day today.”
The race was shortened to a field of five after Brightwork , who defeated Ways and Means in the Spinaway Stakes (G1) last year, was scratched on the advice of the track veterinarian after rearing up in the paddock and falling. Such incidents result in precautionary scratches in New York. Walking out of the paddock back to her barn, she appeared to have avoided serious injury.
Outbreaking their four rivals, jockey Flavien Prat eased Ways and Means off the flank of Stonestreet Stables’ Emery .
“She broke so well, I could have gone if I wanted,” said Prat. “I figured I was fine in the middle of the track. If someone on the inside was willing to go, I had no problem with that. She always runs with a target, so I didn’t think it was the day to try something.”
Emery served as Prat’s target until the quarter pole. Cueing his filly, Ways and Means drew alongside and took over as the field turned for home.
Emery switched outside of Ways and Means to attempt another rally while My Mane Squeeze put in a bid for third, but neither filly posed a serious threat. Ways and Means stayed straight and strong through the wire, winning by 2 1/2 lengths.
Ways and Means paid $3.40 to win. Emery and My Mane Squeeze held their positions for second and third, respectively.
Brown said that he wasn’t sure if she would like the muddy, sealed track she ran over Saturday, but got his answer as she completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.28.
The grade 1 victory was the first success at the graded level for the daughter of Practical Joke . Previously second in the Spinaway at Saratoga last year after clipping heels on the backstretch, Ways and Means missed nearly seven months of racing due to an injury, making the victory extra special for Brown.
“She had some bad luck along the way,” Brown said. “She really showed her heart and perseverance to overcome her injury last year.”
Although Prat expressed after the race that his filly would be successful when lengthening the distance of her races, Brown’s current plans have a bullseye on the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), also held at seven furlongs, Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
“I am really interested in working backward from the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint,” Brown said. “She showed today that she does good with spacing between her races. She runs so fast and hard, I don’t think she needs to run much between now and then, maybe one start somewhere.”
Although she finished second, jockey Tyler Gaffalione was pleased with Emery’s effort to battle and hold on for second.
“She’s a lightly raced filly taking a shot against this caliber. I’m very impressed with her.” Gaffalione said. “We kind of took her out of her game with not much pace in the race. I didn’t want to let Ways and Means get around there too easily, so I went up and challenged her.”
Emery’s trainer Brad Cox echoed Gaffalione’s sentiment, saying he was happy with the performance.
The victory was a third in six starts for Ways and Means, doubling the filly’s earnings to $569,500 for owner and breeder Klaravich Stables.
Brown also trained her sire, Practical Joke, and her stakes-winning dam Strong Incentive for Klaravich and William Lawrence.
“We don’t breed many horses,” Brown said. “We decided to take a chance on this mare because we really liked her and she’s been so good to us.”
Ways and Means is a half sister to grade 1 winner Surge Capacity and grade 3 winner Highly Motivated .
Practical Joke stood the 2024 season at Ashford Stud for a fee of $65,000. Brown said he sees some resemblance between the sire and his first grade 1 winner this season.
“She looks a lot like her sire, almost a spitting image really,” Brown said.
Other graded stakes winners by Practical Joke this season include Domestic Product , Skelly , Shidabhuti , and Money Supply as well as Chilean-bred group 2 winners Ondera and Ionosfera .
