Ways and Means powered her way to a four-length victory in the $200,000 Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2) over a sloppy track at Aqueduct on Sunday.
The 3-year-old filly trained by Chad Brown will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
The rain forced the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf to be canceled and rescheduled for Sunday (Oct. 6). The 1 1/16-mile race is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In’’ for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The race will be redrawn.
Ways and Means, trained by Chad Brown and ridden by Flavien Prat, came into the 6 ½-furlong sprint off a win in the Test Stakes (G1) on Aug. 3 at Saratoga.
“It was impressive,” Brown said. “Hopefully she comes out of the race good. I was worried about the track because she didn’t run good on an off track in the Kentucky Oaks, but there might have been a lot of factors for that, not just a wet track.”
Ways and Means moved between Hot Fudge and Nic’s Style in the stretch and proved to be much the best in the five-horse field.
Winning time was 1:15.46 for the favorite who returned $2.90 on a $2 win bet.
Nic’s Style was second, followed by Sterling Silver, Hot Fudge, and Pacific Rose.
“It was a perfect prep, so long as she comes out healthy,’’ Brown said. “I wasn’t feeling comfortable with a 13-week layoff to the Breeders’ Cup and that’s going to be a real race going seven furlongs out there.”
Ways and Means improved to 7-4-2-0.
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