14Brooklyn Blonde

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Who is Brooklyn Blonde?

Brooklyn Blonde is a chestnut filly born February 12, 2023. Her father is Gun Runner, a champion racehorse. Her mother is Shenandoah Queen. She was bred in Kentucky by Benson Farm and is trained by Michael McCarthy. Interestingly, she's co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, along with Sun-Kissed Stables. Jockey Kazushi Kimura rides her in all her races.

The Good News

Brooklyn Blonde won her first real race! On March 1, 2026, at Santa Anita Park at 1 mile, she won by 1.25 lengths with solid numbers (88.0 speed rating, 113.3 Brisnet rating). Just one month later, she finished second in the Santa Anita Oaks presented by Surfside (April 4), running at 1 1/16 miles with a career-best 115.8 Brisnet rating. She comes from famous racing bloodlines through her father, Gun Runner.

What Matters

Brooklyn Blonde has quality ownership and a trainer who knows her well. She's shown improvement in just a few races and competed successfully against other fillies in a quality stakes race. That shows she belongs at this level.

The Caution

Brooklyn Blonde has only raced four times—she's very inexperienced. Her first race was a seventh-place finish at Del Mar with a poor 69.0 speed rating. She's also never raced at the full 1 1/8-mile distance (what the Kentucky Oaks requires), so we don't know if she can handle that distance. She had two second-place finishes, not wins, against quality competition.

The Bottom Line

Brooklyn Blonde shows promise and comes from good horse families with celebrity backing. But she needs more experience and hasn't proven she Brooklyn Blonde's Important Related Information