Trainer Chad Brown has already won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf a record five times, and he appears headed back to the $1 million race Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park with Hard to Justify.

Adam Coglianese/NYRA

The Wise Racing-owned filly punched her Breeders’ Cup ticket at the Belmont at the Big A meet Oct. 4 by winning the $200,000 Miss Grillo Stakes by a half-length over Life’s an Audible. The Miss Grillo was one of two “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races in New York Wednesday, the other being the $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes, captured by Agate Road.

With their victories, Hard to Justify and Agate Road earned respective paid berths into the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, also held on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Hard to Justify, a rallying head winner of her only prior start at Saratoga Race Course this summer, showed more speed in the Miss Grillo, chasing pacesetter Camilla T before catching the leader leaving the second of two turns in the 1 1/16-mile grass race. Fending off an early stretch rally from Whimsically, who appeared to poke a head in front in early stretch, Hard to Justify took back command and outlasted Life’s an Audible, who passed Whimsically late for the place.

Hard to Justify was timed in 1:43.92 under Flavien Prat over a firm turf course. She gave Brown a record-extending ninth win in the Miss Grillo.

The filly is a daughter of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, the third leading second-crop sire. Justify stood this year for $100,000 at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky.

“Turning for home, as soon as (Whimsically) came alongside of me, she really engaged and switched gears. From there, I thought she got the job done,” Prat said.

Agate Road Latest Pilgrim Winner for Pletcher

Agate Road (Walter Wlodarczyk/NYRA)

Two races after the Miss Grillo, Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Agate Road rallied down the center of the course to improve to 2-for-3. A quick pace in the 1 1/16-mile Pilgrim, established by dead-heat third-place Spirit Prince, set up his late finish. Agate Road was timed in 1:42.83 under Irad Ortiz Jr., winning by 1 1/4 lengths.

Fulmineo rallied between horses to grab second in a blanket finish for the minor awards, just ahead of Spirit Prince and Liam’s Journey, who finished on even terms for third.

Ortiz and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher teamed to win the Pilgrim for the third straight year after success from Major Dude in 2022 and Annapolis in 2021. Ortiz has four overall wins in the race, Pletcher six.

Agate Road debuted in August at Saratoga in a race washed off the turf and finished second by a nose going one mile on the main track. He won his second career start, and first on turf, by a rallying neck in a 1 1/16-mile maiden Sept. 2 at Saratoga.

Pletcher won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf once previously with Team Valor International’s Pluck, who won the Summer Stakes at Woodbine in advance of his Breeders’ Cup triumph in 2010.

Agate Road is a son of Quality Road, who stood this year for $200,000 at Lane’s End Farm in central Kentucky. Quality Road is the fifth-leading sire nationally in 2023.