Methods and Means Tackles Elders in Gallant Bloom

After a present of power towards fillies of her personal age group within the Aug. 3 Take a look at Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Methods and Means  steps into older competitors as she faces 4 rivals within the $250,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack Sept. 29.

Effectively considered since her 12 3/4 size domination on debut at Saratoga in August 2023, her subsequent 4 begins didn’t go as deliberate. Sustaining an damage when second within the Spinaway Stakes (G1), the daughter of Sensible Joke   had a shortened spring marketing campaign to try to make the Might 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1) the place she completed fourth.

Following that victory, Brown has pointed his filly towards a begin within the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Dash (G1) at Del Mar Nov. 2, however felt she might use a race in between.

“She’s doing nice and appears to be holding her kind good,” Brown stated. “She’s in the most effective form I’ve ever seen her.”

An earner of $569,500, Methods and Means has but to win in two begins exterior of Saratoga, however races round one flip away from upstate New York for the primary time. She breaks from the center of the sphere in put up three underneath Flavien Prat.

The Competitors

Among the many elders she’ll face within the 6 1/2-furlong contest is Mark Anderson’s Sterling Silver , who seems to be to avenge herself after she was disqualified for interference from a four-length win within the Gallant Bloom one 12 months in the past.

The 5-year-old daughter of Cupid  , who was skilled by Tom Albertrani till his retirement this spring, has now made three begins for Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Mott. She earned her first victory for the brand new barn Aug. 7 by 9 3/4 lengths within the Johnstone Mile Handicap towards New York-breds at Saratoga.

The a number of graded stakes positioned mare breaks from the rail underneath jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. On to her exterior is one other “newer” addition to the Mott barn: Stephen Rousseau’s Nic’s Type .

The Florida-bred daughter of Uncaptured  started her profession at Gulfstream Park with coach Ralph Nicks, profitable each begins by a mixed 16 1/2 lengths. In her first begin for Mott Aug. 17 at Saratoga, she set the tempo with jockey Junior Alvarado and drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths. These three begins occurred over 27 1/2 months, making this six-week comeback the shortest of her profession by far.

A number of stakes winner and graded stakes positioned Scorching Fudge  and Pacific Rose , winner in two of three begins since relocating from the West Coast to Monmouth Park, spherical out the sphere.

The Gallant Bloom will likely be held as race 2 with put up time at 1:34 p.m. ET.