Brown Been There, Done That As Paladin Returns In Risen Star

[Wandering Eyes]

Stop us if you've heard this before: a seven-figure son of Gun Runner from the barn of Chad Brown has been sent to New Orleans to make his sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Risen Star Stakes.

Two years ago it was Sierra Leone who made the trip up from South Florida off a narrow defeat in the GII Remsen Stakes in the second of his two juvenile appearances. With Tyler Gafflione at the controls, the lanky colt took full advantage of the long straight in the Big Easy to prevail narrowly in what marked the launch of a season that would conclude with an Eclipse statuette.

Whereas Sierra Leone topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale at $2.3 million, Paladin was purchased by substantially the same ownership for $1.9 million two summers later and also made just a pair of trips to the races at the back end of his freshman campaign. Having flashed past the post second in a one-mile Aqueduct maiden Oct. 17–just shy of two weeks to the day of Sierra Leone's victorious debut over the same track and distance–Paladin was put up over Renegade (Into Mischief).

But whereas Sierra Leone was outgamed by Dornoch (Good Magic) in the Remsen, Paladin confirmed form in that oft-maligned nine-furlong contest with a two-length victory. And as if Paladin needs further recommending, Renegade has since returned to dominate the Feb. 7 Sam F. Davis Stakes, so it looks very much like history repeating on Saturday.

Like the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Golden Tempo (Curlin) enters the Risen Star perfect in his two runs to date. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias homebred was named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard when rattling home from a mile back to graduate by open lengths over an insufficient six furlongs Dec. 20. Given an immediate class test when trying two turns for the first time in the Jan. 17 GIII Lecomte Stakes, Golden Tempo settled one from the tail and turned in another long rally to best his now-sidelined stablemate Mesquite (Union Rags) and the re-opposing Carson Street (Street Sense), who led into the final furlong before yielding grudgingly.

A Godolphin Four-Timer In Rachel Alexandra?

One of just a handful of 3-year-old fillies entered for this year's Triple Crown, the two-for-two Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) faces her peers while making her return to the races in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes.

Named a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard when widening to graduate by 4 1/4 lengths on Keeneland sprint debut Oct. 5, the daughter of Grade I winner Pretty City Dancer (Tapit) led clear into the final furlong of the Nov. 29 GII Golden Rod Stakes and the wire came in time. The half-sister to 2023 Rachel Alexandra and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine and Brendan Walsh-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) looks to give Godolphin a fourth straight renewal.

Whisper Hill Farm's Just Singing (Justify) defeated Dancin in Old Town (Tapit) to win her maiden in her first two-turn try Oct. 26 and came with a barnstorming run from double digits back to miss by a length in third in the Golden Rod.

Luv Your Neighbor (Constitution) adds the blinkers off a neck defeat in the Silverbulletday Stakes Jan. 17, an effort that came on the back of a head loss in the Untapable Stakes Dec. 20. Were she to run back to the 84 Beyer she earned when breaking her maiden by four clear lengths Jan. 10, Powered by Family (Quality Road) could be a danger here, but that win was in a race rained off the turf and onto a muddy main track.

In Other Graded Action…

In the GIII Fair Grounds Stakes, Kupuna (Hard Spun) faces the consistent Lagynos (Kantharos) and the progressive Montador (Nyquist), while in the GIII Mineshaft Stakes, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Accelerize (Omaha Beach) takes on Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}), who ostensibly preps for a title defense in the G1 Dubai World Cup in six weeks' time.

Saturday's GIII Royal Delta Stakes at Gulfstream could come down to a battle of 'TDN Rising Stars' presented by Hagyard, as Shred the Gnar (Into Mischief)–last seen wiring the GIII Chilukki Stakes Nov. 15–takes on Senza Parole (Gun Runner), a romping allowance winner going a local mile Jan. 15. Alpine Princess (Classic Empire) can achieve millionaire status with a victory, while last year's GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro) is back up into graded company off a workmanlike victory in Tampa's Wayward Lass Stakes Jan. 10.

The sixth and final of Saturday's graded events is Santa Anita's GIII San Marcos Stakes, which marks the 8-year-old debut of the evergreen Gold Phoenix (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}).

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