Raging Sea overpowers Idiomatic in Personal Ensign

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Chad Brown-trained Raging Sea just keeps getting better.

And, after winning multiple Grade IIIs throughout her impressive career, the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin can now add that elusive Grade I to her resume after Friday’s victory in the $500,000 Personal Ensign at Saratoga Race Course.

“It was her day today, and she ran down a real champion,” said Brown of his winning filly after the race. “I’m just so proud of her, so happy for Mr. John Clay, who bred this horse and actually RNA’d her as a yearling. He believed in her, sent her in to us, and she’s really had a great career.”

Just as post-time favorite Idiomatic (4-5) shot off the far turn comfortably and appeared to have plenty left in the tank, it was Raging Sea and Flavien Prat who assumed their position and rallied up the middle of the track to the roars of the 26,869 in attendance.

“She had been training really well and the race set up for her,” Brown said. “Randomized and Idiomatic really hooked up there and it set it up for this horse.”

Prat, who is plenty familiar with the Alpha Delta Stables homebred, took the opportunity to capitalize.

“To be honest on the form, I knew I was going to make a run,” Prat said. “I didn't know if they could hold me off or not. It felt like (Idiomatic) was still going well from where I was — it was just a matter of if I could get there on time.”

He did.

Raging Sea lunged ahead dramatically as the pair approached the finish line, nailing the wire first by a head in 1:49.14 while looking a bit like her father — two-time Horse of the Year Curlin — who had a memorable 4-year-old year of his own that earned him his second HOY Eclipse Award. 

Like her sire, Raging Sea needed a bit more time to develop before...