Brown bags 3,000th win in style as Zulu Kingdom wires Maker’s Mark Mile
Stakes recaps by Keeneland’s publicity department (Coady Media/Casey Cable photo of Zulu Kingdom and Flavien Prat winning the G1 Maker’s Mark Mile)
Front-Running Zulu Kingdom Wins Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland
Slay the Day takes FanDuel Limestone
LEXINGTON, KY (April 10, 2026) – Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss and Michael Caruso’s Zulu Kingdom (IRE) took the lead out of the gate and never trailed throughout in posting a three-quarters of a length victory over One Stripe (SAF) to win the 38th running of the $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) for 4-year-olds and up Friday afternoon at Keeneland.
Zulu Kingdom’s victory gave trainer Chad Brown his 3,000th career win. Brown is the 41st trainer in North America to reach the milestone.
“Life doesn’t get better than this,” Strauss said. “I thought (Hot Rod) Charlie going to the (2021 Kentucky) Derby (G1 for Strauss and his brother Jeffrey) was great, but this — having my brother here with me, and the partners I have are just great. That guy Flavien, I just love him, he’s great. And Chad — Chad’s amazing. He’s a genius. I appreciate my partners, especially Sol Kumin (of Madaket Stables) for letting me in on this horse. It’s just great, and hopefully we move forward from here. That’s a scary thought, if we can move forward from here. If I ever leave Southern California, I’m moving to Keeneland — well, not Keeneland — to Lexington, Kentucky. This is great, and I always enjoy (being interviewed) in the (winner’s) circle.”
The performance also earned Dubb a Keeneland Tray for his eighth graded-stakes victory.
Earlier on the program, Flying Dutchmen’s Slay the Day won the seventh running of the $350,000 FanDuel Limestone (G3) for 3-year-old fillies.
In the Maker’s Mark Mile, jockey Flavien Prat put Zulu Kingdom on the lead and led the field of seven through fractions of :23.89, :47.71 and 1:11.58 with Aomori City (FR) in closest pursuit.
Entering the stretch, Zulu Kingdom maintained a daylight advantage as the field bunched up behind him. Rhetorical had the inside lane with Aomori City and Brilliant Berti to his outside and favored Notable Speech (GB) in behind horses.
“When I saw the scratches this morning, it sure changed the dynamic of the race,” said Prat, referring to the overflow field of 13 scratching down to seven. “He’s very naturally fast, so (making the lead going into the first turn) was one of the options for sure. He was very brave. Honestly, I felt very comfortable on the lead. He gave me a good run when we turned for home. Obviously he hadn’t run for a while, so I knew he was going to be tired late, so I kept him busy and his talent showed.”
At midstretch, Rhetorical took over second with One Stripe getting a clear run along the rail and Notable Speech being checked on three occasions behind a tiring Aomori City. One Stripe rallied past Rhetorical by a half-length to get second.
Zulu Kingdom completed the mile on a firm turf course in 1:34.90 to give Brown and Prat their third victories in the race and second consecutive score following Carl Spackler (IRE) in 2025. Brown also won with Raging Bull (FR) in 2021 and Prat with Chez Pierre (FR) in 2023.
Now a two-time Grade 1 winner, Zulu Kingdom is a 4-year-old son of Ten Sovereigns out of the Smart Strike mare Zindziswa. The victory was worth $302,250 and boosted his earnings to $1,236,637 with a record of 9-7-0-0.
Zulu Kingdom returned $12.08, $5.82 and $4.62. One Stripe, ridden by John Velazquez, returned $9.72 and $5.54 with Rhetorical returning $3.02 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Notable Speech, winner of last fall’s FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) Presented by PDJF, finished another half-length back in fourth with Brilliant Berti, Aomori City and Tiz Dashing following in order.
Slay the Day upsets Cy Fair in FanDuel Limestone
In the FanDuel Limestone, Slay the Day collared favored Cy Fair, winner of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), passing the eighth pole and then held off Sapphire Beach (IRE) to win by a neck.
Trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by John Velazquez, Slay the Day completed the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in a stakes-record 1:01.99. The previous mark of 1:02.29 was set by Tobys Heart in 2021.
Lynch trained Tobys Heart as well as 2024 Limestone winner Hot Beach. It is the second victory in the race for Velazquez, who won in 2022 on Ruthin (GB).
“The way she ran the first time on the grass (winning an allowance race on the turf last out at Gulfstream Park March 6), she obviously found her surface,” Lynch said. “Then you’ve got a rider like Johnny, who can handle that sort of stuff under pressure. She left there running and got herself in a good spot. She touted herself all week, that she was doing well, and when we saddled her she never turned a hair. She took everything in her stride here. We’re just so thrilled that she’s doing what she’s doing and she’s found her surface. She’s a beautifully bred filly and now she’s a Grade 3 winner.”
“She was going awesome the whole way around,” Velazquez said. “She broke really well. I was expecting a little more speed, that somebody would go. I was right next to (pacesetter) Cy Fair, right next to her. I took a nice hold of (Slay the Day) and then at the quarter pole I made sure I kept a little pressure on the horse in front. Down the lane when she responded, she responded very quickly. Very nice. Thank you to (trainer Brian Lynch); he got her ready for me.”
Travis Boersma races under the Flying Dutchman name and in 2024 Hot Beach ran under the Boardshorts Stables banner for Boersma.
Cy Fair, making her first start since the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 31, led the field of nine with Slay the Day in closest pursuit. Slay the Day drew alongside entering the stretch and raced evenly with Cy Fair until pushing to the front at the eighth pole.
A Keeneland sales graduate, Slay the Day is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief out of the Tapit mare Mind Out. With the victory in her stakes debut, Slay the Day improved her record to 5-3-1-0 and earned $206,150 for the victory to increase her earnings to $337,238.
Slay the Day returned $16.14, $8.10 and $3.96. Sapphire Beach, ridden by Jose Ortiz, returned $9.08 and $4.36 and finished a half-length in front of Cy Fair, who paid $2.32 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
It was another 2¼ lengths back to Light Won Up with Lennilu, Should’ve, Map of the Moon, Quiet Street and Snow Face Princess following in order.
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Racing continues Saturday with an 11-program beginning at 1 p.m. ET that features the $650,000 Jenny Wiley (G1) for fillies and mares and the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3) for 3-year-olds.
Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $154,006.
