Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S.

Chad Brown has long believed Beach Patrol was one of the most consistent horses in his barn. Now he’s one of the best horses in the Eclipse Award-winning trainer’s star-studded stable.

Leaving nothing to chance, Beach Patrol drew off in the stretch from a field of international rivals to record a resounding five-length win in the $500,000, Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes on Sept. 30 at Belmont Park.

The victory came on the heels of a half-length triumph in the Aug. 12 Arlington Million XXXV Stakes that ended a perplexing six-race losing streak and had earned Beach Patrol a fees-paid spot in the $4-million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“For a horse that faced a lot of question marks about his ability at a mile and a half, he was mighty impressive today. He showed he can run all day,” Brown said. “He handled the little cut in the ground from the rain we had today, but he’s not the kind of horse that shows me he needs that. If anything, he’s a firm-ground horse. I’m not as worried about him handling the track at Del Mar as I am the competition. He’ll face the top horses in the world but he deserves a spot with them. He’ll be formidable.”

Brown, the nation’s premier turf trainer, could have a second starter at Del Mar in the Nov. 4 World Championships in Fanciful Angel. Privately purchased by a group including Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables after a runner-up finish in the Arlington Million and transferred to Brown, Fanciful Angel grabbed second by a nose over the 3-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner Oscar Performance, whose three-race winning streak came to an end.

“I want to take a look at Fanciful Angel,” Brown said. “If I see improvement in him between now and then, it’s worth considering the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He’s a work in progress.”

Beach Patrol, owned by a partnership of Sheep Pond Partners, James Covello, and Head of Plains Partners, was much like Fanciful Angel not too long ago. After winning the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse a year ago, the son of Lemon Drop Kid  finished second in three of his next four races, a stretch that included this year’s Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes and the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last December.

The slide continued with a fourth in the June 10 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes and a third in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes in July at Monmouth Park in July. Yet in all six of those losses, Beach Patrol showed some courage and determination, losing by less than 1 3/4 lengths in all of them.

“I usually don’t make excuses for my horses, but he had some unfavorable trips,” said Brown. “He was very unlucky in some spots.”

Brown also made a wise move before the Arlington Million, reuniting Beach Patrol with jockey Joel Rosario for the first time since June of the colt’s 3-year-old season. The rider switch worked wonders as Beach Patrol snapped his six-race losing streak with a determined half-length win in the Million.

The Joe Hirsch took the partnership to new heights as Rosario masterfully kept Beach Patrol in second as outclassed 147-1 longshot Converge dashed out to a seven-length lead after a quick half-mile in :48.23, then steered his mount to the front approaching the quarter pole and pulled away to an easy victory in the stretch.

“When we moved him over to Joel and Joel got to know him, particularly in his last two starts, he’s really found some chemistry with this horse,” Brown said. “Their relationship has had a lot to do with Beach Patrol’s success in the second half of the year.”