Saratoga: Julie's Love shows versatility in De La Rose victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - She had won from last and from on the lead. Saturday, Julie's Love proved she could win from a stalking position as well.

After sitting third for most of the trip under Julien Leparoux, Julie's Love rallied past the front-runner Dancing to Town in deep stretch then held off the late-running favorite Dealbata to win Saturday's $100,000 De La Rose Stakes at Saratoga.

Dealbata, away last from the outside post under Ramon Dominguez, got up by a head over Dancing to Town for second.

It was the third win from four starts in North America for Julie's Love and her first stakes victory. She is owned by Andreas Jacobs and trained by Graham Motion, who won his first race here after starting the meet 0 for 11.

Julie's Love, a Great Britain-bred daughter of Ad Valorem, won an allowance race at Keeneland from last and an allowance race at Belmont in gate-to-wire fashion. She was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial at Parx, behind Gitchee Goomie and Hessonite. Hessonite came back to win a stakes on July 27.

Saturday, Julie's Love sat third, about five lengths off the pace, as Dancing to Town set fractions of 23.78 seconds and 47.41 seconds while being chased by Trix in the City, last year's De La Rose winner.

Leparoux guided Julie's Love three wide turning for home and with only one tap of his whip, Julie's Love gradually moved to the lead. Dealbata came with a strong late rally, but it wasn't enough.

Julie's Love covered the mile in 1:34.87 and returned $10.20 to win.

"Today, she ran by far the most professional race that she's run and she behaved so well," Motion said. "She's quite a nervous filly, and everything went really smoothly. Julien gave her a great trip and it couldn't have set up any better."