Ways and Means dominates the F&M Sprint with ease, Breeders’ Cup Photo
Breeders’ Cup Press
LEXINGTON, Ky – Klaravich Stables’ Kentucky homebred Ways and Means ($4.14) put on a show as the even-money favorite when drawing away to a 6 1/4-length victory in the 20th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Friday at Keeneland Race Course.
“It’s immensely satisfying,” said Seth Klarman, principal of Klaravich Stables. “She’s such an amazing filly. We’re so lucky she got to show herself today. You don’t like to be trapped on the rail, but there was plenty of speed in front and it was a pretty quick pace, so we were optimistic she was going to find a way. And (Flavien) Prat is just the best at finding the hole and getting through.”
In what was possibly her final career start before going through the ring as a racing or broodmare prospect on Monday at Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale, the 5-year-old daughter Karalvich Stables color-bearer Practical Joke scored the third Grade 1 victory of her career for trainer Chad Brown.
Brown, who won his 20th Breeders’ Cup event, praised Ways and Means for her ability to overcome adversity throughout her career.
“Unbelievable team that has worked with this filly,” he said. “She’s definitely had her breaks in form. My team at the barn, several different team members have played a part in working with her and the vets at Rood and Riddle when we had to stop on her, a lot of time her (setbacks) has been illness and serious lung infections and what not. It hasn’t been easy. And noted foot specialist Ian McKinlay has really gone above and beyond to make himself available and put special shoes on this filly. Without those different efforts from various team members, we wouldn’t be here today.”
Expertly piloted by her regular afternoon partner Flavien Prat, Ways and Means carved out a patient trip in a shared fifth behind the dueling Saffie Joseph, Jr. stablemates Kerry’s Kiss and R Disaster up front as they set splits of :22.14 seconds and :44.75 over the fast dirt.
Taking the inside route to the turn, she tipped out around a tiring Kerry’s Kiss and the backpedaling R Disaster entering the stretch and turned on the jets to drive home a no-doubt winner over the late-running Foie Gras, who was a half-length better than Explora with Kilwin in fourth. Ways and Means completed the seven furlongs in 1:21.76.
Prat said Ways and Means was game when asked a bit earlier than he expected.
“She jumped well, and I was in a good position,” Prat said. “Then, I was forced to stay inside a bit, so I had to engage her a bit earlier than I wanted to. But, she really responded well. It felt great.”
The classy Ways and Means adds to an impressive resume that includes sophomore wins in the Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) at Belmont at the Big A before a fifth-place finish in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). She made just two starts last year, winning Saratoga’s Bed o’ Roses (G2), before returning this year to land a repeat victory in that event and another Grade 1 conquest in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) in August at Saratoga ahead of this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Out of the Klaravich Stables co-owned and Brown-trained Warrior’s Reward mare Strong Incentive, Ways and Means is a half-sister to a pair of graded stakes-winners for these connections in Surge Capacity and Highly Motivated. Her Filly & Mare Sprint victory was worth $520,000, and brought her lifetime record to 14-8-3-1.
Foie Gras ran a valiant second at odds of 21-1 with Hall of Famer Joel Rosario aboard for conditioner Mike Maker. The now three-time graded stakes-placed daughter of Volatile entered from a win in the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes on August 28 at Charles Town Races.
Rosario said his charge performed admirably against a formidable foe.
“The filly who won really looked like a monster – my filly ran really well for a second-place finish,” Rosario said. “She kept trying and trying and got up (for second) in the last jump. Going into the race, I knew the Ways and Means was the one to beat but you never know what can happen. You just keep running and hope you can catch her.”
Race Quotes
Winning trainer Chad Brown (Ways and Means): “Unbelievable team that has worked with this filly. She’s definitely had her breaks in form. My team at the barn, several different team members have played a part in working with her and the vets at Rood and Riddle when we had to stop on her, a lot of time her (setbacks) has been illness and serious lung infections and what not. It hasn’t been easy. And noted foot specialist Ian McKinlay has really gone above and beyond to make himself available and put special shoes on this filly. Without those different efforts from various team members, we wouldn’t be here today.
“Very pleased. I’m most happy for the filly because she got to show what she could do on a neutral racetrack today against some of the best sprinters in the country and shake that label of maybe just being effective at Saratoga. What she loved is training at Saratoga and I finally figured that out. She can take her racetrack with her as long as she’s training at home.”
Winning owner Seth Klarman (Ways and Means): “It’s immensely satisfying. She’s such an amazing filly. We’re so lucky she got to show herself today. You don’t like to be trapped on the rail but there was plenty of speed in front and it was a pretty quick pace so we were optimistic she was going to find a way. And Prat is just the best at finding the hole and getting through.”
(On selling at Fasig-Tipton on Monday) “She’s done everything a race mare can do. You hate to lose her off the track, but she’s 5 and it’s time for her second career.”
Winning jockey Flavien Prat (Ways and Means): “She jumped well, and I was in a good position. Then, I was forced to stay inside a bit, so I had to engage her a bit earlier than I wanted to. She really responded well. It felt great.”
Second-place trainer Mike Maker (Fois Gras): “Second best. She was further back than I expected her to bean, but, then again, she ran her race. No one was going to beat the winner today. Nothing wrong with finishing second to her.”
Second-place jockey Joel Rosario (Fois Gras): “The filly who won really looked like a monster. My filly ran really well for a second-place finish. She kept trying and trying and got up (for second) in the last jump. Going into the race, I knew the Ways and Means was the one to beat but you never know what can happen. You just keep running and hope you can catch her.”
Third-place trainer Bob Baffert (Explora): “The only way I could win was if the good ones didn’t bring their ‘A’ games. We brought our ‘A game, but she lost a lot of ground and had to come wide. That was a salty race. Those are really good mares. (Ways and Means) is really good. I watched her school in the paddock the other morning and I knew I was going to need a bigger boat.”
Third-place jockey Jose Ortiz (Explora): “She ran very good. She broke well, the pace was fast (up front), she sat behind them and made a good run. The winner was really good today as you saw.”Klaravich Stables’ Kentucky homebred Ways and Means ($4.14) put on a show as the even-money favorite when drawing away to a 6 1/4-length victory in the 20th running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Friday at Keeneland Race Course.
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