Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Lady Eli keeps eyes on prize
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Having won back-to-back Grade 1 races in the last two months, Lady Eli has positioned herself for a run at an Eclipse Award – about the only honor that has eluded the gutsy 5-year-old mare.
Lady Eli overcame breaking through the starting gate prior to the race to run down Quidura and win Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Diana Stakes at Saratoga by a head. The victory was Lady Eli’s ninth from 12 lifetime starts and her fifth Grade 1 score. On May 27, she won the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita after she was narrowly beaten by Dickinson in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley to begin the year.
Lady Eli, a finalist for an Eclipse Award as a 2-year-old in 2014, did not have complete campaigns in her 3- and 4-yearold seasons, which were interrupted by a bout of laminitis. Last year, Lady Eli suffered narrow defeats in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf from only three starts.
“There’s probably not a more deserving horse in the sport right now to get an Eclipse Award than her before she’s all done racing,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I’d have to say she’s maintained her position, maybe increased her position in this division. The year’s not over. She’s got more work to do. If she says healthy and in good form, she’s got a good chance at it.”
Lady Eli earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the Diana.
Brown said Lady Eli emerged from the Diana with some scrapes on a front leg. She also lost some hair on a knee when she broke through the starting gate after her stablemate Antonoe did the same thing prior to finishing third.
Brown said the Grade 1 Flower Bowl – a race she won last year – at Belmont Park on Oct. 8 is the most likely next start for Lady Eli. However, he did not rule out the Ballston Spa on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.
“Probably unlikely, but not impossible, that I run her back in the Ballston Spa,” Brown said.
Brown said Antonoe, who checked in the late stages of the Diana, came out of her race unscathed. She is a candidate for the Ballston Spa, Brown said.
“Antonoe ran terrific, she was just unlucky,” Brown said.
Diana runner-up Quidura likely will have one more race before the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, trainer Graham Motion said. Motion said Quidura likes plenty of time between starts, so he likely will try to find something in September that he could use as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup, which this year will be run at 1 1/8 miles.
One race that could make sense for Quidura from a timing standpoint is the $150,000 All Along Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park on Sept. 16.
Firenze Fire to Hopeful
Trainer Jason Servis said Monday that Firenze Fire came out of his victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes in good order and that he’ll be pointed next for the Grade 1 Hopeful at seven furlongs on closing day of the Saratoga meet.
Firenze Fire, a son of Poseidon’s Warrior, rallied to a one-length victory over favorite Free Drop Billy in the sixfurlong Sanford to remain perfect in two starts. He is owned and was bred by Ron Lombardi’s Mr. Amore Stable.
“If all goes well and we can have him ready, we’ll look at the Hopeful next,” said Servis. “I’ll freshen him a little after this one, but we’ve got six weeks, so it shouldn’t be a problem. And I think the extra distance should be a plus for him because it will allow him to relax and settle a little longer before having to make his run.”
Firenze Fire was the first horse bred by Lombardi, who claimed his dam, My Every Wish, for $16,000 at Aqueduct five years ago but never raced her.
“We were going to give her away, but then Ron decided to breed her, and sure enough, three years later, here we are with a stakes winner,” Servis said.
Brothers of stars clash
Emancipation, a full brother to 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, and Fayeq, a half-brother to 2009 Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra, are part of a six-horse field entered in Wednesday’s fourth race, a first-level allowance race at 1 1/8 miles.
Emancipation and Fayeq lack the necessary experience to run in Friday’s $100,000 Curlin or Saturday’s Grade 2, $600,000 Jim Dandy, said their respective trainers, Shug McGaughey and Kiaran McLaughlin.
Emancipation has run only twice. He won a seven-furlong maiden race on June 9 and then finished third, beaten just a half-length, in this same condition on July 4 at Belmont.
“I thought it was a good race,” McGaughey said. “He seemed to come out of it really well. I thought this would be an easier spot and wanted to try and win another race with him and get him a little more experience.”
Fayeq has a history of gate trouble and wears a blanket when loaded into the starting gate. He ran third behind Timeline when he debuted in March at Gulfstream and then finished fifth in his second start. On June 11 at Belmont, he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths. The horse he beat, Uncle Mojo, won a maiden race at Saratoga on Sunday.
“It’s the right spot to get more experience,” McLaughlin said. “He was a real project. I think he’s over all those issues.”