Althiqa catches Summer Romance again, wins Diana Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The venue was different. The distance was different. The result was the same.

Althiqa, who ran by pacesetting Summer Romance in the Grade 1 Just a Game going one mile at Belmont Park six weeks ago, did it again Saturday at Saratoga, running by Summer Romance in the final furlong to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana Stakes, at 1 1/8 miles, by three-quarters of a length.

Summer Romance, who set the pace under Luis Saez, finished second by 1 3/4 lengths over longshot La Signare. Harvey’s Lil Goil was fourth, followed by Pocket Square, Magic Attitude, Vigilante’s Way, and Lemista.

Althiqa and Summer Romance are both trained by Charlie Appleby and owned by Godolphin Racing. The two fillies were shipped to New York on May 2 along with two male horses, one who was intended to run in the Belmont Stakes. That horse, Rebel’s Romance, suffered a hind leg infection and couldn’t run.

But the two 4-year-old fillies made the trip and the 11-week U.S. stay for assistant trainer Sophie Chretien worthwhile.

“We couldn’t do better,” Chretien said. “Summer Romance didn’t take revenge on Althiqa, but what I realize with Althiqa all the time she’s been with us she’s becoming stronger physically and mentally. Also, Summer Romance is a lot more of a nervous filly. She lost [it] a bit before the race. This one is so chilled out; it always helps.”

Summer Romance did act up a bit in the gate, but she was able to make the front and set fractions of 23.57 seconds for the quarter, 48.17 for the half and 1:11.84 for six furlongs with Vigilante’s Way, under Jose Ortiz, prompting her.

Manny Franco, riding Althiqa for the first time, was sixth early, but only four lengths off the pace while in between horses. Franco was able to guide Althiqa into the clear turning for home and though Summer Romance was able to shed Vigilante’s Way, Althiqa rallied past her for her second consecutive Grade 1 score and her third victory in four starts in 2021.

“They told me to try and keep her a little bit closer because we don’t see much speed, but when we break they kind of ran away from me a little bit,” Franco said. “I just covered her up and followed somebody as long as I could and when I made my move she was there for me. She gave me a nice kick.”

Althiqa, a daughter of Dark Angel, covered the 1 1/8 miles over good ground in 1:47.65 and returned $9.90 as the fourth choice. Althiqa got a 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.

Saez said that he wasn’t surprised about Summer Romance acting up in the gate because she did that prior to the Just a Game. He felt his filly was just second-best Saturday.

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“I feel like she ran her race, I know [Vigilante’s Way] has speed and she’s going to come with me, but that’s the game,” Saez said.

Both Althiqa and Summer Romance are expected to ship back to Appleby in England this week with future plans to be determined.

*** All-sources handle on Saturday’s 11-race card was $32,117,869. The paid attendance was 25,520.

In 2019, all-sources handle on Diana Day was $23,808,942 and paid attendance was 27,120.

Last year, when fans were not allowed ontrack and the feature on the first Saturday of the meet was the Coaching Club American Oaks, all-sources handle was $23,735,162.