Domestic Agenda extends Brown’s dominance in G2 Miss Grillo
Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Agenda tracked the early speed from last-of-6 before picking her spot in the stretch, taking command, and drawing away for a convincing 4 1/2-length score in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Miss Grillo for 2-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on Belmont Park’s Widener turf course.
Domestic Agenda, a half-length debut winner on September 4 at Saratoga Race Course, improved to 2-for-2 and extended five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown’s record to 10 Miss Grillo victories. Her dominating effort secured a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf October 30 at Keeneland.
The 47th running of the Miss Grillo – one of six graded events on Saturday’s loaded 11-race program – saw Bittersweet Memory accelerate to the front, leading the six-horse field through the opening quarter mile in 24.04 seconds and the half-mile in 47.55 over the firm going.
Jockey Flavien Prat, who was aboard Domestic Agenda in that victory at the Spa, was content to keep his charge at a comfortable pace before urging her up in the turn. With a plethora of daylight to her outside, Domestic Agenda easily overtook all competitors in the stretch and surged to the wire, completing the course impressively in 1:41.34.
Bounce Back, trained by dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse, is still looking for a maiden-breaking score but bested stablemate Golden Siren by two lengths for her second runner-up finish in three career starts. Bittersweet Memory finished fourth, with Fiora and Runaway Bride completing the order of finish. Sunny Bird, who reportedly had ankle surgery on Wednesday, and Quibbler [fourth in Friday’s Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland] were scratched.
Domestic Agenda, the 4-5 favorite, returned $3.94 on a $2 win wager. She earned a spot in the prestigious Juvenile Fillies Turf, which Brown has won a record six times previously; most recently with Hard to Justify in 2023 with Prat aboard.
“A bit sluggish the first furlong, and I didn’t really like my position on the backside, but I had a chance to tip her out and get her going early,” Prat said. “Once she changed gears, she really made a good run.
“I just wasn’t traveling very well behind horses and I didn’t feel like she was going to give me a great turn-of-foot, but I thought she was going to be good enough to just go around and get going early,” Prat added. “She sure did.”
Domestic Agenda was a $290,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The American Pharoah chestnut is out of the Gun Runner mare Smuggle, a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Chess Chief.
“I love the way that she powered away,” Brown said. “I know she swapped leads late when she got bored and wasn’t around other horses, she’s a work in progress. She’s still not finished, but that was a big step forward from her debut which I thought she was quite green in the second turn. She was much more professional for the majority of the race today, and I think there is more to come from her.”
Brown registered another Miss Grillo score to his litany, as past triumphs include: Maram [2008], Watsdachances [2012], Testa Rossi [2013], Lady Eli [2014], New Money Honey [2016], Significant Form [2017], Newspaperofrecord [2018], Selflessly [2019] and Hard to Justify [2023].
Hard to Justify, Newspaperofrecord, New Money Honey, Lady Eli and Maram all used this race as a successful springboard to a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“If she comes out of it sound, that’s what we’re planning to do with her,” Brown said about following a similar trajectory. “It is nice to start off a filly like this 2-for-2. She’s a horse who has her best days ahead of her. She’s really bred to be better as an older horse. For her to do what she’s doing as a juvenile is quite remarkable.”
Bounce Back, owned by Gary Barber, earned black type in building off a solid fourth-place effort in the Grade 1 Natalma going one mile on the Woodbine turf September 12.
“Today, the instruction was to try and put her in the race, but with six horses, she didn’t break that fast and I tried to put her there and then she got too keen,” said Bounce Back jockey Antonio Fresu. “I was trying to settle her and hold her on the backside, but the favorite is right behind me, so she’s dictating when to move. She got the jump on us. I don’t think I would have beat her today, but I think my horse is definitely a nice filly and I like the way she quickened. At one point, we didn’t have much room, but when we turned for home, something opened and I took it straight away and she quickened up really well.”
Casse also conditioned Golden Siren, giving him two-thirds of the trifecta, with the Bolt d’Oro filly now 1-1-1 in three career starts in a consistent beginning to her career.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Belmont Park with a 10-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.
General admission at Belmont Park is available for $7 when purchased in advance and provides fans with access to grandstand seats on most days, all areas within the first floor of the grandstand and the backyard. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.
America’s Day at the Races presents daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
