Watsdachances wins after disqualification

What are the chances that seven owners from six different states would team up to win Saturday's Grade I $700,000 Beverly D. at Arlington International Racecourse?

They became very good for the Irish-bred mare Watsdachances when English-bred Secret Gesture got to the wire first but was disqualified for interfering with third-place finisher Stephanie's Kitten just before the wire.

That allowed the runner-up Watsdachances to move up to first and gave trainer Chad Brown his second Beverly D. champion in five years.

"He is the greatest turf trainer in the country," said Michael E. Kisber, one of Watsdachances' seven owners. "If the horse has talent, he will get it out."

Kisber and his 27-year-old son Zachary were in town from Memphis, Tennessee.

"This is in honor of Elvis (Presley)," Michael Kisber said. "(Sunday) is the anniversary of when he died in 1977.

Kisber and the rest of the Bradley Thoroughbred group had watched their 5-year old mare win the Grade III Gallorette Handicap on Preakness Day and take second in the Grade II Dance Smartly at Woodbine in two starts this year.

"She had a bad trip in her last race," said co-owner Clay Sanders. "But she will do anything for you. She'll go through a brick wall and showed that today."

Bloodstock agent Peter Bradley picked out the horse.

"He (Bradley) has a great eye and he found the horse for us in Ireland," said co-owner John Batter of Nebraska.

Watsdachances, an 8-1 longshot who paid $19.80 to win, came from far back. She started eighth after a quarter mile in the 1-3/16ths mile event.

"You can't make this game up," said jockey Joe Bravo, who hadn't ridden Watsdachances since last September. "With the rainstorm we got, they still had her ready to run and she just loved the distance."

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode Stephanie's Kitten, said the winner (Secret Gesture) kept coming out on his horse. "It definitely cost me second," Ortiz said.

Defending champion Euro Charline finished fourth as the 5-2 favorite who led most of the way.

"My filly really broke sharp and never relaxed," said jockey Jose Lezcano. "She just pulled me the whole way and when the others came, I tried to give her a kick, but she was just too tired."