Excellent Truth Gives Chad Brown Record 10th Diana Stakes Victory

The mare owned by Resolute Racing and John Stewart defeated the favorite She Feels Pretty over the turf at Saratoga

Up the rail, Excellent Truth got the better of She Feels Pretty / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).- Third time was the charm for Excellent Truth. After two outstanding performances that fell just short, the daughter of Cotai Glory finally found her reward, capturing her first G1 victory in the U.S. with a thrilling score in Saturday’s Dunkin’ Diana Stakes (G1, $500,000, 1800m, turf) for fillies and mares 4yo and up at Saratoga.

The race, originally scheduled for the inner turf, was moved to the Mellon Turf following heavy morning rain. But neither the change in course nor the yielding ground could stop Chad Brown’s trainee, who gave the five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer a record-extending tenth win in this historic race.

“This race means a lot to me,” Brown reflected. “We always point stamina-type fillies to it, just like Bobby Frankel taught me. Incredibly, he only won it twice. His legacy lives in us. We follow his system.”

Racing for Resolute Racing, Excellent Truth came into the Diana off back-to-back G1 placings in Europe and the U.S., including seconds in the Prix Rothschild (G1) at Deauville and Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley (G1), plus a close third in Belmont’s Just a Game (G1). This time, with Flavien Prat adopting a more aggressive approach early, she shed her bridesmaid status with authority.

Breaking from post 4, she settled just off Choisya (Night of Thunder), who set the pace, while heavy favorite She Feels Pretty (Karakontie) tracked inside under John Velazquez. After splits of :23.78 and :48.52, Prat asked Excellent Truth for more, pressing the leader as Velazquez swung out to challenge.

In the stretch, She Feels Pretty edged ahead and looked home free, but Excellent Truth dug back in, clawing her way to a narrow advantage in the final stride to stop the clock in 1:47.37.

“She felt full of run the whole way,” Prat said after securing his third straight Diana victory. “When the other filly passed us, I knew I still had horse. She wasn’t done. She fought back. It was a real battle.”

Velazquez was candid in defeat: “When I put her head in front, I thought we had it, but she emptied out. The turf was softer than she likes, but no excuses. The winner deserved it.”

Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder) finished third, 4 1/2 lengths back, just ahead of Choisya, with Lady Claypoole (Starspangledbanner) trailing the small field. Be Your Best (Muhaarar) was scratched.

Bred in Ireland by Sandra Russell, Excellent Truth was a G3 winner in France before selling for over $1.6 million at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. Saturday’s triumph added $275,000 to her bankroll, improving her record to 14-5-5-1, and she returned $8 to win.

“She deserved this,” Brown concluded. “She’s had two tough trips this year, but today was her day. She trains like a champion. I’m so grateful to John Stewart for trusting me. This filly never has a bad day.”