Kingman's Baliage Green, but Talented, in Spa 'Rising Star' Graduation

Saratoga Maidens, presented by Keeneland

Baliage (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) didn't have the smoothest of trips into the first turn, and gamely fought back when challenged inside the final furlong to break her maiden at the Spa with 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' honors.

Racing among cover as 12-1 longshot May December (McKinzie) and 18-1 longshot Into Forever (Into Mischief) stepped out to keep each other company through an opening quarter in :24.06, she had recovered well from being floated four wide into the first turn to find her way to the fence for the backstretch run. Still in that spot after a half-mile in :50.28, Baliage started her rally as they swung through the final bend, and was the looming danger after six panels in 1:15.98.

Closing well via the overland route, she met resistance in the form of the experienced Mel Went Home (Life Is Good), who refused to go down without a fight. Carried out a path, but still fighting, the fillies matched strides into the final yards just as Baliage shied away from the right-hand stick. Corrected quickly 40 yards from the wire, Manny Franco lifted the Chad Brown-trainee at the last jump to win the photo by a nose. The final time was 1:46.25.

Baliage is Kingman's 39th 'Rising Star, his second of 2026, and his third in North America. Two of those three Stateside runners debuted at Saratoga.

The victress is out of owner/breeder Peter Brant's Grade I winner Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who won the 2021 running of Keeneland's GI First Lady Stakes to claim her elite-level black type. Trainer Chad Brown also conditioned the dam. Baliage is her second to the races behind an unplaced elder sibling in Ireland named Perm (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Blowout produced a yearling full-sister to Perm as well as a 2026 colt by the sorely-missed Wootton Bassett (GB).

Second dam Beauty Parlour won the G1 French 1000 Guineas in her career as well as being the runner-up in the G1 Prix de Diane-French Oaks. She is a full-sister to Japanese-bred Barocci (Jpn), who won a Listed race in France as well as being twice Graded-placed in the States. Beauty Parlour's half-sisters have produced no less than five black type runners between two of the most accomplished broodmares. This is the female line of 1998 and 1999 Broodmare of the Year Benedection (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}), making this the family of two-time Australian Horse of the Year MG1SW-Aus Might and Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

‍♀️ bears down and defeats MEL WENT HOME in R6 at Saratoga for @jockeyfranco and trainer Chad Brown. pic.twitter.com/DdyBWJJUL3

— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) August 14, 2026

6th-Saratoga, $115,000, Msw, 8-14, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:46.25, fm, nose.
BALIAGE (IRE), f, 2, by Kingman (GB)
         1st Dam: Blowout (GB) (GISW, $988,600), by Dansili (GB)
         2nd Dam: Beauty Parlour (GB), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
         3rd Dam: Bastet (Ire), by Giant's Causeway
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $63,250. O-Peter M. Brant; B-White Birch Farm SC (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown.
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