Ways and Means and Fitz Right extended the great run of Flavien Prat at Saratoga
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The daughter of Practical Joke successfully defended her crown in the Bed o' Roses Stakes (G2), while the filly Fitz Right achieved her first graded stakes triumph in the Wonder Again Stakes (G2) during the third day of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special to Turf Diario).– Flavien Prat continues to turn every major stage into his own territory. The French jockey was once again the protagonist this Friday at Saratoga, where he secured two graded stakes victories during the continuation of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, thanks to the successes of Ways and Means in the Bed o' Roses Stakes (G2) and Fitz Right in the Wonder Again Stakes (G2).
The most outstanding performance came by way of Ways and Means, who managed to successfully defend the title she captured a year ago in the Bed o' Roses, although this time she had to dig as deep as possible to achieve it.
The Klaravich Stables representative encountered a fierce rival in Grand Job (Justify), who took the lead right from the jump and set the pace with fractions of 22s7/100, 43s97/100, and 1m7s69/100 for the opening 1200 meters. Throughout the entire journey, Chad Brown's pupil remained in hot pursuit, unable to make significant forward ground.
At times, it appeared that the daughter of Practical Joke would have to settle for the runner-up spot. However, when the pacemaker began to feel the effects of her effort in the final yards, Ways and Means found an extra reservoir of energy to launch herself at the leader and catch her literally on the wire, prevailing by just a nose.
The winner covered the 1400 meters in 1m21s5/100, even faster than in her resounding 2025 triumph, when she had drawn away by 7 3/4 lengths. Senza Parole (Gun Runner) completed the board, albeit well back from the two main protagonists.
"My mare was brave enough," Prat summarized after a finish loaded with drama.
For Chad Brown, the result represented an important confirmation. The mare had recently returned following a prolonged layoff caused by health issues suffered after this very same engagement in 2025. She reappeared with a second-place finish in the Derby City Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs and has now returned to her finest form.
With a record that now boasts six victories and more than $1.3 million in earnings, Ways and Means now targets the Ballerina Stakes (G1), scheduled for late August at Saratoga, before aiming to conquer the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.
A short while later, Prat returned to the winner's circle thanks to Fitz Right, who achieved the first graded stakes victory of her career by capturing the Wonder Again Stakes.
The daughter of Charlatan raced patiently behind the pace set by Coach Mazzula (Authentic) and closely followed by Lion Lake (Dark Angel). Looking comfortable at all times, she bided her time until the right moment to launch her bid.
Upon entering the homestretch, Fitz Right accelerated authoritatively to hit the front. Lion Lake attempted to battle back along the inside and briefly put her under pressure, but the Brendan Walsh trainee maintained her momentum all the way to the wire to prevail by a length.
Time to Dream (Not This Time) completed the podium of an event contested over 1700 meters on the turf, a distance the winner covered in 1m40s39/100.
Thus, on an afternoon where female stars once again took center stage, Flavien Prat demonstrated anew why he is going through one of the finest stretches of his extraordinary career, adding two new graded stakes conquests to a season that continues to stack up victories across the most important venues in the United States.
