Flavien Prat Pilots Shelzawa to Grade 3 Victory in Winter

Flavien Prat guided the favorite Shelzawa to a three-quarter-length victory in Thursday's Grade 3, $200,000 Winter Memories Stakes at Belmont Park. The French-born jockey executed a patient, ground-saving trip before angling the filly clear in the stretch to hold off the late charge of Sister Troienne.

A Classic Prat Ride Seals the Deal

Drawn in post seven, Prat settled Shelzawa near the rear of the 10-horse field as Alone Time set the early fractions of 24.46 seconds for the quarter and 47.34 for the half-mile. He bided his time, keeping the filly in the clear while saving ground. Turning for home, Prat slipped Shelzawa inside the tiring Hand Over Heart and then swung her into the open. She collared the new leader, Ultimate Love, in the final furlong and held firm under urging. The winning time for the mile on the firm Widener turf course was 1:34.86. Trainer Chad Brown, winning this race for the fourth time, praised the ride. "Flavien rode a great race, a little inside-out trip there," Brown said.

Belmont's New Tapeta Surface Gets Its First Test

The week's racing at Belmont was also notable for the debut of the track's new all-weather Tapeta surface. On September 20, heavy rain forced four races off the turf and onto the synthetic oval for its inaugural use. The change proved positive for field sizes, with the four races averaging over 10 starters each. Trainer Miguel Clement, who had four runners on the card, was encouraged. "I thought it was great," Clement said. "The horses we expected big performances from delivered. That's a great sign that it's true to form." The surface showed no obvious bias, with winners coming from various tactical positions. This successful launch provides a reliable option for trainers and jockeys like Prat when weather disrupts the turf schedule.

Shelzawa's Path to a Graded Stakes Win

The Winter Memories win marked a significant step up for the French-bred filly. Purchased as a yearling for €45,000, Shelzawa had shown promise on synthetic surfaces in France earlier this year, finishing second by a neck and a nose in two prior starts. Her ability to handle different footing was on full display as she transitioned to American turf. In the Winter Memories, she tracked the comebacking second choice, Sister Troienne, who was compromised by traffic in upper stretch but still closed well to complete the exacta. The third-place finisher, Crossover Capital, gave trainer Chad Brown two of the top three spots.

• Key Takeaways: Flavien Prat's tactical ride was decisive in the Winter Memories Stakes. Belmont Park's new Tapeta surface performed well in its debut, preserving field sizes. Shelzawa's victory continued trainer Chad Brown's success in the race and showed her versatility.

Prat's skill in handling traffic and producing a horse at the right moment secured another graded stakes win for his resume. With Belmont's racing surfaces now offering more consistency, jockeys can plan with greater confidence regardless of the weather.