Ways and Means dominates the Ballerina in style, NYRA Photo
Alicia Hughes
In what is slated to be her swansong appearance at her home track, Klaravich Stables’ Kentucky homebred Ways and Means left an image of brilliance burned into the minds of the Saratoga Race Course faithful when she delivered a masterclass 5 1/2-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina.
The seven-furlong Ballerina for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up was a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on October 31 at Keeneland. While that expected Breeders’ Cup run is set to be the final career outing for Ways and Means before she is offered at public auction, the bay daughter of Practical Joke made it clear who owns the historic Spa oval as she cruised to her sixth win from seven starts at the track that has been her base since her 12 3/4-length maiden win here in August 2023.
In giving five-time Eclipse Award winning trainer Chad Brown his second win in the Ballerina, joining 2022 heroine Goodnight Olive, Ways and Means also took care of some unfinished business from a year ago. Last August, the bay mare was expected to be favored in the race, but illness kept her from that start and left her sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 season. Since running third behind fellow Ballerina entrant R Disaster during her seasonal bow in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on May 2 at Churchill Downs, Ways and Means has been incrementally getting her form back to the level that earned her a first Grade 1 triumph in the 2024 Test here.
“Five wins in six starts here [prior to today] and a close second in the other one in her career,” Brown said. “She’s had an amazing career, and she was able to come through once again and shine on one of the biggest days of the year up here in Saratoga.”
In the lead up to her latest time in the spotlight, Ways and Means had to get on her belly and work to defeat Grand Job by a nose in the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses presented by Boldyn Networks locally on June 5. The added fitness she gained from that coming into the Ballerina figured to be necessary as three other Grade 1 winners were in the gate Saturday in R Disaster, 2025 Test winner Kilwin, and Madison winner Eclatant.
Though she has often done her best running sitting just off the early leaders, Ways and Means showed her maturity Saturday when she let jockey Flavien Prat settle her into the fourth position off the rail as Maida led R Disaster and Echo Sound through an opening quarter mile in 21.91 seconds over the fast main track.
“I think she has always shown how good she is. I think before it was more of a raw talent, but [now] she has the ability to be a bit more push-button,” said Prat, who won five races on the card. “So [with] the mix of the talent and that, she made a good run today.”
After Maida clocked the half mile in 44.33, R Disaster loomed up around the far turn and briefly stuck her head in front to lead the nine-horse field. The red and white colors carried by Prat and his bullish partner soon appeared at R Disaster’s hip, however, and at the top of the stretch the only suspense that remained was over what the final margin of victory would be.
“On paper, it looked like [the race could set up] that way,” Prat said. “It set up good for me. I was traveling well behind the pace, and when I got to the turn I didn’t want to move too soon, but she naturally came with me and was wanting to go, so I kind of let her creep up to the pace. After that when we turned from home, she responded.”
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite by the betting public, Ways and Means delivered on that confidence as she hit the wire in 1:22.05 and paid $4.70 on a $2 win bet. Kilwin ran on for place honors with Beauty Reigns third and Echo Sound fourth.
“That was a big effort,” said Rusty Arnold, trainer of Kilwin. “She was back a little farther than I thought, but she had a good trip to get up there. She had to go on the inside, and a really good filly beat her. What are you going to do? That’s probably the best female sprinter in the country, who ran good. We’ll come back and try again.”
Ways and Means’ development into a stable star has justified the confidence Brown has held since her earliest days on the work tab. She carries with her an extra level of sentiment as well, brought on by the fact Brown trained both Ways and Means’ sire Practical Joke, winner of the 2017 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial; and dam Strong Incentive, who in 2015 won a stakes at Woodbine for Ontario-breds.
After Ways and Means earned her fifth graded stakes win and seventh victory overall from 13 career starts, her conditioner took the opportunity to bestow more accolades upon the mare he has deemed one of the best-looking proteges ever to come into his care.
“I think from here onto the Breeders’ Cup, I wouldn’t plan on running her [again beforehand],” Brown said. “She runs so well fresh. A long career, you can see I rested her between that last race she had, which she was fully extended there, and after the last time, a little tired afterwards. I let her refill her tank and gave her plenty of time, I’m inclined to do the same thing now, final career start being the Breeders’ Cup, if she tells me.”
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with a 10-race card featuring the $200,000 Yaddo in Race 9. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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