Party At Page’s brings flattered form to Lady Finger

Party At Page’s could have plenty to celebrate on Monday at Finger Lakes. The filly looms large in the $118,587 Lady Finger Stakes for 2-year-old fillies as she comes in from a productive summer at Saratoga.

The Lady Finger is one of two stakes for juveniles this week at Finger Lakes – the other being the $120,000-added Aspirant Stakes on Tuesday – that lead into the $100,000-added New York Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 26. Wildcat’s Smile was the last filly to win that race, taking it in 2011 after finishing second in the Lady Finger.

Party At Page’s finished second by a nose to Irish Constitution in her debut on July 24 at Saratoga, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 69, one of the best in this field. Irish Constitution flattered her foe by subsequently finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga, and second by a neck in the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes Thursday at Belmont. She scratched from the Lady Finger to run in the Gimma.

The form of that July 24 New

York-bred maiden race was further validated when Samborella, who finished third in her debut, 8 1/4 lengths behind Irish Constitution and Party At Page’s, came back to win the Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga.

Party At Page’s went on to win her maiden against statebreds in her second start, leading throughout in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Aug. 28 at Saratoga.

She drew the rail with Reylu Gutierrez in the irons for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, and appears to be the controlling speed of the Lady Finger.

Although Summer Brew, trained by Jorge Abreu, is still a maiden, she owns the best Beyer Speed Figure in the field, and also has stakes experience. She earned a 71 when beaten a half-length by Rossa Veloce in a Saratoga maiden race on Aug. 5; the third-place finisher, No Mo Spending, won a maiden race in her next outing, then defeated Irish Constitution in the Gimma. Meanwhile, Summer Brew came back to run fifth against statebreds in the Seeking the Ante.

Finger Lakes maiden winner Crazy Delight is the only member of this field with a local victory. The maidens Blame It On Mary, Isle Storm, and Park Manager Maize complete the field.