STAKES ANALYSIS Harmonize set for Glens Falls

By Jeff Scott SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Recent winners of the $200,000 Glens Falls Handicap, which will be run as the 12th race on Saturday’s card, include millionaires Mushka (2009) and Keertana (2010). The biggest name to compete in the 11-furlong race, however, was 2008 Champion Turf Female Forever Together, who finished third as a sixyear-old in 2010. The $2.9 million earner’s four Grade 1 wins included the 2008 BC Filly & Mare Turf and backto-back editions of the Diana Handicap.

There do not appear to be any Forever Togethers in this year’s Glens Falls, The closest approximation is probably Harmonize (7/2), the only Grade 1 winner in the field, who followed up her victory in last year’s Del Mar Oaks with a tough head beat in the QEII Cup. The 4-yearold Scat Daddy filly is winless in four outings in 2017, including fourth-place finishes in the Diana and Just a Game.

War Flag is the narrow morning-line choice at 3-1. The War Front filly has been in the exacta in all seven career starts, the first five in France. The Glens Falls will be the third U.S. start for the Allen Stable homebred, who exits a close second in the Matchmaker Stakes (G3) at Monmouth. War Flag was a Group 3 winner in France.

Sarandia (9/2) is another recent import. The German-bred daughter of Dansili raced in her native land as recently as July 9, when she won a listed stakes at Hannover. The Peter Schiergen trainee finished sixth in her U.S. debut, the Beverly D (G1) on Aug. 12. Sarandia is 5-for-8 at the 11-furlong distance.

The Argentine-bred Estrechada (5-1) and Lottie (6-1) ran 1-2 in the Waya Stakes (G2) here on Aug. 5. For Estrechada, it was her first win in five tries in the Northern Hemisphere. Lottie will be making her second start in a graded event.

Summersault (8-1), Happyness (10-1), Grateful (151) and Sweet Sandy (30-1) complete the field of eight older fillies and mares.