Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown reserved his best for the big stage and his stud career can climb to a new level at Flemington and Santa Anita this weekend.
The Vinery shuttler has Muscovado entered for the G2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival and he’s doubled-handled with Nicky’s Brown Miss and Puca at the two-day Breeders’ Cup meeting.
Muscovado has flown under the radar, if that’s possible for a Gai Waterhouse trained galloper, but bookies have kept the Big Brown filly safe at $7 on Saturday. A Wakeful Stakes victory would be the perfect lead-in for her stablemate Hampton Court who is favourite for the G1 Victoria Derby.
“She’s very smart but took time to mature,” Gai said. “It’s her first time over 2000 metres and I’m sure she will handle it.”
Muscovado has won three of her last four starts in Sydney and this Saturday will be her spring grand-final. Even if she wins the Wakeful, the Victorian Oaks isn’t an option because Gai believes she will return an even better filly for the autumn.
Puca is another Big Brown filly coming good at just the right time for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (1710m) at Santa Anita on Saturday.
After an August debut at Saratoga, she was caught wide second-up when placed at the Spa and then put all together with a 16 length demolition of her rivals over 1700m at Belmont.
Her speed figures have improved by almost 10 points in each start and she smoked a half-mile in 47.18s last Sunday. It was the fastest bullet among 91 work-outs of the morning at Belmont.
Puca is trained by Bill Mott who has won BC Classics (Cigar & Drosselmeyer), BC Turfs (Fraise & Theatrical) and BC Distaffs (Royal Delta, Unrivalled Belle, Escena & Ajina).
