Filly three year olds will get a jump on the weekend when they compete here at Saratoga in the Gr. III Lake George race. Named for the beautiful surroundings just north on the Interstate 87, this event has drawn six entries to its gate.
- Lake George – Grade III Purse $150.000
- Saratoga Racecourse – For Three year old fillies
- Eight Furlongs – Inner Turf course
- July 19th, 2019
This is now the sixteenth season of the Gr. III Lake George, which has been around since the inception of the HRP. In its history, NO trainer has been able to capture this event twice, which may rule out a few runners here, while three jockeys have taken home the title twice in their career. Two of those rider, J Alvarado ( 13, 14 )and J R Velazquez ( 11, 17 ) will be looking to make this season number three.
So looking at this field I have a couple of stand outs right off the top. I like both Rules Are Madness for Angelos Stables and Quick Fix competing for Mb Stables. With Rules Are Madness, trainer made the addition of Bute to her regiment after she was claimed three starts ago, and she finished second in the Mount Vernon, then captured the NYSS- Joy event. Both were restricted affairs for New Yorkers, so staying upstate should help. Her record on the grass is 6 ( 3-2-1 ), and that’s nothing to sneeze at here. Her trainer is placing her smartly. A 1:34 and four for the mile work here seven days ago is impressive as well. As for Quick Fix, her past three events have all been Grade III company races. While she never captured a win, she did manage to finish second twice and a show placing in the other. Mb Stables has won this event once, so hopefully that doesn’t factor against them, as the chestnut filly out of Commanding has an impressive 7 ( 3-2-2 ) career record to her credit. She did manage to win the China Doll Stakes going a mile in 1:33 and three at SA, and that factors well with this grouping.
Four others will take to the track to spoil the efforts of these two combatants. Two of those have both captured three victories on the grass in their respective careers. First is Major Ballerina ( Court Jester Racing ) who two starts ago walked away with the $100.000 Hilltop at Pimlico going today’s distance. The time was slightly less then others in here with a 1:33 and four, but she has the potential if she doesn’t get boxed in along the rail and have no opening in the lane. The other who should be in the hunt will be Nakamura Stables’ Scandalous Ways. She is a half sister to Brazen Deception who just walked away with a victory last weekend on the turf in the Gr. III American Derby by some five lengths. Maybe her sire has some nice turf bloodlines and we may very well see her trainer focusing his foals over this surface. Since the return back to the grass in her last two starts, she went runner-up in both at a mile. Both were from sitting just off the leader, but she can come from behind as well.
The final two runners to step onto the inner turf will be Diamond Di ( Aer Stables ) and Queens Command ( Allinthegate ). Both are unique in the fact that they have limited or no turf experience. Diamond Di was purchased last October and took the rest of the season off. Trainer added Bute and in five starts this seasons has a record of ( 1-1-2 ). Impressed in the Gr. II Las Virgenes finishing third a lengths shy, then returned in the Gr. III Santa Ysabel where she fell back early and had just a little too much ground to make up from the nine hole. Smaller field here should have her in the mix early, only question is will she take to the grass? Her dam was a none winner in eight starts. As for Queens Command, she just returned to the winners circle in her most recent, winning the $200.000 Critical Eye, a restricted affair at Belmont. She has yet to race on the grass or even a wet surface, and with isolated showers in the area on Thursday, it all depends if she will go if the track conditions are not suitable. Alvarado has gone elsewhere with the turf experience, but picking up Velazquez was a brilliant move with his talents and he will be trying hard to capture this title before shipping out for the weekend.
Duffer
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
