Trainer Chad Brown was back at the track Friday morning at Saratoga but would not comment when asked by reporters about the assault charge that landed him in jail on Thursday.
Accompanied by his girlfriend, who was not his accuser, Brown drove a golf cart to the main track for what appeared to be an otherwise routine day of training horses. He was photographed later at his stable in barn 52 while holding what looked like two cups of coffee, wearing binoculars around his neck and speaking to visitors who appeared to be invited.
Brown was released on $2,500 cash bail Thursday after he pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of breathing, according to police in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and the district attorney in Saratoga County.
A four-time Eclipse Award winner who is the winningest trainer this summer at Saratoga, Brown was not seen publicly during Thursday’s races. His assistant Thomas Brandebourger saddled Brown’s two horses who finished out of the money late in the day.
Brown had seven horses entered at Saratoga on Friday and another two at Monmouth Park. He had another 16 drawn into races at the two tracks Saturday and Sunday plus one more at Parx Racing on Tuesday.
The New York Racing Association had not taken any action against Brown, issuing a statement Thursday to at least two media outlets saying, “NYRA is aware of the charge brought against trainer Chad Brown today and will defer additional comment on this matter to the Saratoga Springs Police Department.”
According to what was read during an arraignment in City Court on Thursday, Brown was accused of pushing a woman down a staircase at his house in Saratoga Springs, pinning her to the floor and trying to choke her before throwing her out.
