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Following Painful Beat in Kentucky Derby, Repole Back With ‘Two Live Shots’ in Belmont Stakes

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – You better get used to failure and you better get used to losing if you’re striving to do something historic or epic.

Those are the words of Mike Repole after coming within a neck of winning his first GI Kentucky Derby with Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.

“I probably take losing better than I take winning,” said Repole, who campaigns the $975,000 Keeneland September graduate in partnership with breeders Robert and Lawana Low.

“If you ask me what the toughest racing loss of my life was, I’d probably say, ‘Renegade in the Kentucky Derby.’ And, honestly, if you ask my what my biggest racing accomplishment was, I might tell ‘ya, ‘Second in the Derby.’”

After getting bounced around at the start from his much-discussed rail draw, Renegade rallied valiantly beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. from 15th to nearly bring home the roses. He was only narrowly outkicked late by the re-opposing ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Golden Tempo (Curlin), who was piloted by Ortiz, Jr.’s year-younger brother Jose Ortiz.

A video clip of Repole consoling and picking up Ortiz, Jr. after Renegade was unsaddled went viral on X.

As a kid from Queens, winning the Belmont Stakes was always one of my biggest dreams.

I’ve been fortunate enough to win it once and finish second four times.

This Saturday, I’m incredibly lucky to have two horses, Renegade and Powershift, competing in the Belmont Stakes.

I’ll… pic.twitter.com/oc58vtlsWh

— Repole Stable (@RepoleStable) June 4, 2026

“He’s got what Kobe (Bryant) would call that ‘Mamba Mentality,’ and I have a lot of that, too,” Repole said. “Irad is the best jockey in the country in my opinion and it would’ve been great to get him (his first Kentucky Derby victory). The ride that he made, he got hit so hard. For him and the horse, that combination, to come through and make all those moves and do everything, it was a perfect ride.”

In addition to the stretch-running GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Repole will also be well-represented in the Belmont Stakes by the promising $500,000 Keeneland September yearling and potential pacesetter Powershift (Constitution), an impressive maiden winner at third asking on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher trains both.

“With Renegade running so well in the Derby and also having Powershift, who’s run a couple of great races and lost one of the toughest maidens of all time to Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), we’ve got two live shots,” Repole said. “You want to see them both run well. After the performance Renegade gave at the Kentucky Derby, I guess my heart leans a little bit more towards him.”

Repole added with a laugh, “I’m not gonna be picky though. If Powershift wins, I’ll gladly run down and take a picture with him.”

Born and raised in the Middle Village neighborhood of Queens and a graduate of St. John’s University, it was a dream come true for Repole, the co-founder of Glaceau Vitaminwater (sold to Coca-Cola for a reported $4.1 billion in 2007) and BodyArmor (which also sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion in 2021), finishing one-two in the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Nest (Curlin).

Mike Repole and his daughter Gioia celebrate a win with Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the Spa | Sarah Andrew

The third leg of this year’s Triple Crown will be held for the third and final time at Saratoga at the shortened 1 1/4-mile distance while the reconstruction of Belmont Park nears completion downstate.

“It’s always been the hometown race,” Repole said. “It’s the biggest race in New York. Growing up there, it was the race. I have a win and four seconds. The only second I guess I didn’t mind was Nest, because she was second to Mo Donegal.

“Listen, it’s been different in Saratoga. I was second with Mindframe (Constitution) there (in 2024). Now that the new Belmont’s gonna open up, winning the Belmont at Saratoga after I’ve already won a Belmont and knowing that we’re going back to the new Belmont, I think would be pretty cool.”

Repole added, “With the Preakness not being valued the way it should be or the way it used to be, these (Triple Crown) races are a little different now. This is a great field.”

In addition to the highly anticipated rematch between the Kentucky Derby top two, the field of nine for the Belmont Stakes also includes: ‘Rising Star’ Chief Wallabee (Constitution) (fourth in the Derby); GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) (seventh in the Derby); and the aforementioned GII Louisiana Derby winner and ‘Rising Star’ Emerging Market (10th in the Derby).

“These are the best 3-years-olds in the country right now,” Repole concluded.

Saturday’s forecast calls for a warm afternoon in upstate New York with temperatures in the 80s and an increasing chance of thunderstorms throughout the day.

FOX Sports will present live coverage of Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 10:30 a.m. on FS2 before moving to FOX from 3-4 p.m. FOX broadcast coverage continues alongside FS1 from 4-7:30 p.m. while concluding on FS2 at 8:15 p.m.

The post Following Painful Beat in Kentucky Derby, Repole Back With ‘Two Live Shots’ in Belmont Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Ways and Means Re-Rallies Late to Defend Bed O’ Roses Crown

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Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but for the reigning queen of the GII Bed O’ Roses Stakes, it proved to be figurative weight she could valiantly bear en route to her title defense.

Ways and Means (Practical Joke) looked to be beaten at the head of affairs, but gamely re-rallied in the final yards to nail a wildly unlucky Grand Job (Justify) by a nose in an exciting 2026 running at Saratoga.

The Chad Brown trainee has had a very short career the last two seasons–her 2025 campaign was only two races long with starts in the GI Derby City Distaff and the GII Bed O’ Roses Stakes to her credit. She ran third in the former and dominated the latter by 7 3/4 lengths to post a career-best 111 Beyer in the process. Thus far, her 2026 has taken a similar path as Ways and Means again resurfaced off a layoff at the Derby City, but this time ran second to Florida-bred wonder R Disaster (Awesome Slew). The betting public clocked the pattern, and sent her off as the 3-5 favorite with Grand Job close on her heels in the pools at 6-5 odds.

The field broke in a line, but the top two wasted no time getting out to the front with Grand Job quickly taking control from the rail through an opening quarter in :22.07. Ways and Means was never too far away from her, and they distanced themselves from the field after a half-mile in a stiff :43.97 heading into the bend. Coming off it, as Grand Job seemingly gave Ways and Means the slip, the eventual winner refused to yield and relentlessly closed the gap heading into the final yards. Offering one last lunge at the wire, it took a photo to separate them, but the 2025 champion would defend her crown by a lucky nose. Senza Parole (Gun Runner) was 9 1/2 lengths back in third.

“When that horse [No. 1, Grand Job] sprinted away from her [Ways and Means], there were a fair number of horses who would have had their hearts broken, if you will. The fact that she regained her confidence and bore down again, I think that says a lot about her heart and determination,” said trainer Chad Brown.

“I know the filly that was second looks like she’s really turning into a top filly, so I knew [Ways And Means] was going to have her work cut out for her wearing her down. I’m just thankful that we got her nose down in time.”

Brown continued, “I was telling Flavien [Prat] that we brought her back in training to win the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland and I think she’ll love the seven-eighths at Keeneland. You can see she’s just getting there at six-and-a-half. If we can just keep her healthy and ready for that race in the fall, she’ll be very competitive.”

When asked about the shortened season in 2025, Brown said Ways and Means got sick again [she came out of the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in 2024 with an ankle chip that put her on the sidelines until last year’s Derby City] and he was forced to pull the plug on her entire year.

“Her best races are definitely here, but I have been having trouble keeping her in a regular campaign. She’s run well at Aqueduct, too. The one Del Mar race wasn’t too good–then again, she came out of that with an ankle chip. There’s some question marks. She’s going to have to take her game on the road, like I spoke about, and to Keeneland, primarily.”

Brown added that Ways and Means’s final year of racing will predominantly be spent in New York with her next target being the ‘WAYI’ GI Ballerina Stakes Aug. 29 with an eye on a potential career finisher in the World Championships this fall at Keeneland.

WAYS AND MEANS gets up to win the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses Stakes pres. by Boldyn Networks for the second year in a row under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown.

Chad Brown has now won this race four years in a row! pic.twitter.com/FMwflpgbgf

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) June 5, 2026

Pedigree Note:

Ways and Means is a half-sister to a pair of accomplished runners, namely fellow Grade I-winner Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}) and track-record setting graded winner Highly Motivated (Into Mischief). She’s the most recent to the races, but does have a juvenile half-sister named Alpe d’Huez (Good Magic). Strong Incentive’s youngest is a yearling colt by Into Mischief and she was bred back to the stallion for 2026.

The dam is herself a daughter of SW G G’s Dolly (Comic Strip), and thus a half-sibling to MSP Hall Pass (Freedom Child) and Loan Guarantee (Malibu Moon), the mother of GSW Wow Whata Summer (Summer Front). This is the extended female family of French Group 1-placed Monsagem and multiple Group winner Tullius (Ire).

Friday, Saratoga
BED O’ ROSES S. PRESENTED BY BOLDYN NETWORKS-GII, $300,000, Saratoga, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.05, ft.
1–WAYS AND MEANS, 124, m, 5, by Practical Joke
                1st Dam: Strong Incentive (SW, $123,568), by Warrior’s Reward
                2nd Dam: G G’s Dolly, by Comic Strip
                3rd Dam: Parfait, by Kingmambo
‘TDN Rising Star‘. O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $165,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 12-6-3-1, $1,362,500. *1/2 to Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}), GISW, $547,100 and Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), GSW, $667,375. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Job, 124, m, 5, Justify–Sure Route (GB), by Ishiguru. ($105,000 Ylg ’22 KEESEP). O-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Medallion Racing and Mark Stanton; B-Fullbury (KY); T-William Mott. $60,000.
3–Senza Parole, 120, f, 4, Gun Runner–Senza Te, by Street Cry (Ire). ‘TDN Rising Star’. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 RNA Ylg ’23 KEESEP; $240,000 RNA 2yo ’24 OBSAPR). O-Don Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: NO, 9HF, HD. Odds: 0.73, 1.29, 11.09.
Also Ran: Scalable, Vincey Girl, Praying. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Ways and Means Re-Rallies Late to Defend Bed O’ Roses Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Following Painful Beat in Kentucky Derby, Repole Back With ‘Two Live Shots’ in Belmont Stakes

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – You better get used to failure and you better get used to losing if you’re striving to do something historic or epic.

Those are the words of Mike Repole after coming within a neck of winning his first GI Kentucky Derby with Renegade (Into Mischief), the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.

“I probably take losing better than I take winning,” said Repole, who campaigns the $975,000 Keeneland September graduate in partnership with breeders Robert and Lawana Low.

“If you ask me what the toughest racing loss of my life was, I’d probably say, ‘Renegade in the Kentucky Derby.’ And, honestly, if you ask my what my biggest racing accomplishment was, I might tell ‘ya, ‘Second in the Derby.’”

After getting bounced around at the start from his much-discussed rail draw, Renegade rallied valiantly beneath Irad Ortiz, Jr. from 15th to nearly bring home the roses. He was only narrowly outkicked late by the re-opposing ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Golden Tempo (Curlin), who was piloted by Ortiz, Jr.’s year-younger brother Jose Ortiz.

A video clip of Repole consoling and picking up Ortiz, Jr. after Renegade was unsaddled went viral on X.

As a kid from Queens, winning the Belmont Stakes was always one of my biggest dreams.

I’ve been fortunate enough to win it once and finish second four times.

This Saturday, I’m incredibly lucky to have two horses, Renegade and Powershift, competing in the Belmont Stakes.

I’ll… pic.twitter.com/oc58vtlsWh

— Repole Stable (@RepoleStable) June 4, 2026

“He’s got what Kobe (Bryant) would call that ‘Mamba Mentality,’ and I have a lot of that, too,” Repole said. “Irad is the best jockey in the country in my opinion and it would’ve been great to get him (his first Kentucky Derby victory). The ride that he made, he got hit so hard. For him and the horse, that combination, to come through and make all those moves and do everything, it was a perfect ride.”

In addition to the stretch-running GI Arkansas Derby winner Renegade, Repole will also be well-represented in the Belmont Stakes by the promising $500,000 Keeneland September yearling and potential pacesetter Powershift (Constitution), an impressive maiden winner at third asking on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher trains both.

“With Renegade running so well in the Derby and also having Powershift, who’s run a couple of great races and lost one of the toughest maidens of all time to Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}), we’ve got two live shots,” Repole said. “You want to see them both run well. After the performance Renegade gave at the Kentucky Derby, I guess my heart leans a little bit more towards him.”

Repole added with a laugh, “I’m not gonna be picky though. If Powershift wins, I’ll gladly run down and take a picture with him.”

Born and raised in the Middle Village neighborhood of Queens and a graduate of St. John’s University, it was a dream come true for Repole, the co-founder of Glaceau Vitaminwater (sold to Coca-Cola for a reported $4.1 billion in 2007) and BodyArmor (which also sold to Coca-Cola for $5.6 billion in 2021), finishing one-two in the 2022 Belmont Stakes with Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) and Nest (Curlin).

Mike Repole and his daughter Gioia celebrate a win with Irad Ortiz, Jr. at the Spa | Sarah Andrew

The third leg of this year’s Triple Crown will be held for the third and final time at Saratoga at the shortened 1 1/4-mile distance while the reconstruction of Belmont Park nears completion downstate.

“It’s always been the hometown race,” Repole said. “It’s the biggest race in New York. Growing up there, it was the race. I have a win and four seconds. The only second I guess I didn’t mind was Nest, because she was second to Mo Donegal.

“Listen, it’s been different in Saratoga. I was second with Mindframe (Constitution) there (in 2024). Now that the new Belmont’s gonna open up, winning the Belmont at Saratoga after I’ve already won a Belmont and knowing that we’re going back to the new Belmont, I think would be pretty cool.”

Repole added, “With the Preakness not being valued the way it should be or the way it used to be, these (Triple Crown) races are a little different now. This is a great field.”

In addition to the highly anticipated rematch between the Kentucky Derby top two, the field of nine for the Belmont Stakes also includes: ‘Rising Star’ Chief Wallabee (Constitution) (fourth in the Derby); GI Curlin Florida Derby winner Commandment (Into Mischief) (seventh in the Derby); and the aforementioned GII Louisiana Derby winner and ‘Rising Star’ Emerging Market (10th in the Derby).

“These are the best 3-years-olds in the country right now,” Repole concluded.

Saturday’s forecast calls for a warm afternoon in upstate New York with temperatures in the 80s and an increasing chance of thunderstorms throughout the day.

FOX Sports will present live coverage of Belmont Stakes Day beginning at 10:30 a.m. on FS2 before moving to FOX from 3-4 p.m. FOX broadcast coverage continues alongside FS1 from 4-7:30 p.m. while concluding on FS2 at 8:15 p.m.

The post Following Painful Beat in Kentucky Derby, Repole Back With ‘Two Live Shots’ in Belmont Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Ways and Means Re-Rallies Late to Defend Bed O’ Roses Crown

---

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but for the reigning queen of the GII Bed O’ Roses Stakes, it proved to be figurative weight she could valiantly bear en route to her title defense.

Ways and Means (Practical Joke) looked to be beaten at the head of affairs, but gamely re-rallied in the final yards to nail a wildly unlucky Grand Job (Justify) by a nose in an exciting 2026 running at Saratoga.

The Chad Brown trainee has had a very short career the last two seasons–her 2025 campaign was only two races long with starts in the GI Derby City Distaff and the GII Bed O’ Roses Stakes to her credit. She ran third in the former and dominated the latter by 7 3/4 lengths to post a career-best 111 Beyer in the process. Thus far, her 2026 has taken a similar path as Ways and Means again resurfaced off a layoff at the Derby City, but this time ran second to Florida-bred wonder R Disaster (Awesome Slew). The betting public clocked the pattern, and sent her off as the 3-5 favorite with Grand Job close on her heels in the pools at 6-5 odds.

The field broke in a line, but the top two wasted no time getting out to the front with Grand Job quickly taking control from the rail through an opening quarter in :22.07. Ways and Means was never too far away from her, and they distanced themselves from the field after a half-mile in a stiff :43.97 heading into the bend. Coming off it, as Grand Job seemingly gave Ways and Means the slip, the eventual winner refused to yield and relentlessly closed the gap heading into the final yards. Offering one last lunge at the wire, it took a photo to separate them, but the 2025 champion would defend her crown by a lucky nose. Senza Parole (Gun Runner) was 9 1/2 lengths back in third.

“When that horse [No. 1, Grand Job] sprinted away from her [Ways and Means], there were a fair number of horses who would have had their hearts broken, if you will. The fact that she regained her confidence and bore down again, I think that says a lot about her heart and determination,” said trainer Chad Brown.

“I know the filly that was second looks like she’s really turning into a top filly, so I knew [Ways And Means] was going to have her work cut out for her wearing her down. I’m just thankful that we got her nose down in time.”

Brown continued, “I was telling Flavien [Prat] that we brought her back in training to win the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland and I think she’ll love the seven-eighths at Keeneland. You can see she’s just getting there at six-and-a-half. If we can just keep her healthy and ready for that race in the fall, she’ll be very competitive.”

When asked about the shortened season in 2025, Brown said Ways and Means got sick again [she came out of the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in 2024 with an ankle chip that put her on the sidelines until last year’s Derby City] and he was forced to pull the plug on her entire year.

“Her best races are definitely here, but I have been having trouble keeping her in a regular campaign. She’s run well at Aqueduct, too. The one Del Mar race wasn’t too good–then again, she came out of that with an ankle chip. There’s some question marks. She’s going to have to take her game on the road, like I spoke about, and to Keeneland, primarily.”

Brown added that Ways and Means’s final year of racing will predominantly be spent in New York with her next target being the ‘WAYI’ GI Ballerina Stakes Aug. 29 with an eye on a potential career finisher in the World Championships this fall at Keeneland.

WAYS AND MEANS gets up to win the Grade 2 Bed o’ Roses Stakes pres. by Boldyn Networks for the second year in a row under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown.

Chad Brown has now won this race four years in a row! pic.twitter.com/FMwflpgbgf

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) June 5, 2026

Pedigree Note:

Ways and Means is a half-sister to a pair of accomplished runners, namely fellow Grade I-winner Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}) and track-record setting graded winner Highly Motivated (Into Mischief). She’s the most recent to the races, but does have a juvenile half-sister named Alpe d’Huez (Good Magic). Strong Incentive’s youngest is a yearling colt by Into Mischief and she was bred back to the stallion for 2026.

The dam is herself a daughter of SW G G’s Dolly (Comic Strip), and thus a half-sibling to MSP Hall Pass (Freedom Child) and Loan Guarantee (Malibu Moon), the mother of GSW Wow Whata Summer (Summer Front). This is the extended female family of French Group 1-placed Monsagem and multiple Group winner Tullius (Ire).

Friday, Saratoga
BED O’ ROSES S. PRESENTED BY BOLDYN NETWORKS-GII, $300,000, Saratoga, 6-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.05, ft.
1–WAYS AND MEANS, 124, m, 5, by Practical Joke
                1st Dam: Strong Incentive (SW, $123,568), by Warrior’s Reward
                2nd Dam: G G’s Dolly, by Comic Strip
                3rd Dam: Parfait, by Kingmambo
‘TDN Rising Star‘. O/B-Klaravich Stables (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien Prat. $165,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 12-6-3-1, $1,362,500. *1/2 to Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}), GISW, $547,100 and Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), GSW, $667,375. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Job, 124, m, 5, Justify–Sure Route (GB), by Ishiguru. ($105,000 Ylg ’22 KEESEP). O-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Medallion Racing and Mark Stanton; B-Fullbury (KY); T-William Mott. $60,000.
3–Senza Parole, 120, f, 4, Gun Runner–Senza Te, by Street Cry (Ire). ‘TDN Rising Star’. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($120,000 RNA Ylg ’23 KEESEP; $240,000 RNA 2yo ’24 OBSAPR). O-Don Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $36,000.
Margins: NO, 9HF, HD. Odds: 0.73, 1.29, 11.09.
Also Ran: Scalable, Vincey Girl, Praying. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: Ways and Means Re-Rallies Late to Defend Bed O’ Roses Crown appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.