Kathynmarissa captured her third graded stakes of the year with a win in the $500,000 Grade 2 Flower Bowl Stakes Oct. 1 at Belmont Park. The victory earned her a trip to the $2 million Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf for her next start on Oct. 31 at Keeneland Race Course.

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The winner is a 5-year-old daughter of American Pharaoh out of a Chilean Group 1 winner. She has been the model of consistency since joining trainer Chad Brown's barn last year. Since that change, Kathynmarissa has won four of her five starts going back to August 2025.

Kathynmarissa left the gate as the 6-5 favorite in the Flower Bowl. Jockey Jose Ortiz gave the mare a patient ride, biding his time in mid-pack throughout most of the 1 1/4-mile race that went in early fractions of :23.64, :48.29, and 1:12.15 on Belmont's firm inner turf course. In deep stretch, the winner unleashed a grinding late kick and powered past a driving Sunlit Uplands, who settled for second. Evershed was third.

Kathynmarissa won by three-quarters of a length and stopped the timer in 2:00.58.

"So much heart," Brown said. "Pace was against her today a bit, and the runner-up had the jump on her, and this filly didn't have to get there, but I just think the last 70 yards was just heart for this horse. And that's what I see in the morning, she has a lot of heart."

The Flower Bowl was a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series "Win and You're In" race that provides an automatic, all-expenses-paid entry into the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Brown said if the mare is healthy, she will definitely contest the Filly and Mare Turf.

"Although her season got cut short last year just with one run, which was disappointing, Mike's always very patient," Brown said of co-owner Michael Dubb. "I think now it is on to the Breeders' Cup to see who comes over to face her. Distance should be good, 1 3/16 miles, gets a slight cutback off this race and seems to be a trip that works for her between 1 1/8 miles and 1 1/4. So, we'll see how she takes to Keeneland."

T Kraft Wins Vosburgh By a Nose

T Kraft wins the Vosburgh. (Scott Serio/Eclipse Sportswire)

T Kraft dug deep in the final furlong to hold off a late charge from Crazy Mason to win by a nose in the Grade 3 Vosburgh Stakes Oct. 1 at Belmont Park.

T Kraft, under jockey Junior Alvarado, broke alertly and adapted to the lack of pace in the race by establishing the lead and taking the field through opening fractions of :23.26 and :46.16. Longshot El Grande O and favorite Senior Officer raced off the leader through the opening stages as Crazy Mason settled near the back of the pack under Manny Franco.

"He ran well and got away good and Junior gave him a good ride," winning trainer Bill Mott said. "The horse we thought was the speed horse (Contrary Thinking) got away poorly and Junior knew what to do after that."

As they rounded the final turn, Crazy Mason made his move under Franco, closing the gap with every stride. Swinging seven wide for the stretch run, he exploded down the outside and just missed catching T Kraft. Crazy Mason finished third.

"By a whisker, that was close. I didn't know if I got it or not," Alvarado said. "That other horse (Crazy Mason) came running very strong at the end, but my horse fought for me there."

The final time for the seven-furlong race was 1:22.78. T Kraft paid $13.88 to win.

T Kraft, who was second last time out in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, earned his first graded stakes victory in the Vosburgh. Now the $110,000 yearling purchase will set his sights on the $2 million Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint.

With the Vosburgh a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, T Kraft earned a "Win and You're In" fees-paid berth into the six-furlong Sprint Oct. 31 at Keeneland. -- Olivia Newman