Amberglen handles step up with ease in Lake George
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. − The jump from entry level allowance company into graded stakes competition can often prove a formidable one, although that wasn’t the case Saturday at Saratoga for Amberglen. The Brad Cox-trained filly made her graded stakes-debut a winning won and did so in impressive fashion with a 1 1/4-length victory over the late striding Deep Learning in the $225,000 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies.
Amberglen entered the Lake George off a gate-to-wire, five-length victory against older horses under first-level allowance conditions going 1 1/8 miles in June 19 at Churchill Downs. Trainer Brad Cox was quietly confident his filly could handle the class hike when taking on Grade 3 opposition in the 1 1/16-mile Lake George.
“We’ve always liked her,” said Cox. “We expected her to break her maiden at first asking but then she didn’t like the synthetic surface when they took the stakes at Gulfstream [Wait a While] off the turf this winter. So we gave her a break and her last two races have been spot on. She’s a very good filly and moving forward at the right time.”
Although she led at every call in her previous start, Amberglen rated off the early pace set by Candy Moonshine for the opening six furlongs of the Lake George. Amberglen moved readily to command while still under a snug hold approaching the quarter pole, edged clear when sharply roused in early stretch, and was never seriously threatened thereafter while kept under strong handling to the end.
Deep Learning raced in midpack during the early going, swung six wide to commence her bid into the stretch and finished strongest of all down the center of the course to be second best. It was another neck farther back to Honfleur who finished third. Both Deep Learning and Honfleur are trained by Chad Brown.
Time to Dream, Ultimate Love, Star Actress, Lion Lake, and the tiring Candy Moonshine completed the order of finish.
Amberglen is a 3-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Night of Thunder owned by Stonestreet Stables LLC. She paid $5.32 as the favorite after covering the distance over a firm course in 1:42.33 seconds.
“He [Irad] put her in a great spot,” said Cox. “There was a little concern if she would take to the turf with there being a little cut in the ground. Obviously with the European pedigree I was hoping she would, and she responded well and finished up great.”
Cox was also pleased the way Amberglen relaxed off the leader after being in front in her last outing.
“I liked the way she rated today,” said Cox. “I expected her too. She has a great mind and although I’m not familiar with these European pedigrees, she trains like she’ll handle more distance.”
Cox said it is hard to say at the moment whether he might wheel Amberglen back in four weeks in the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid here on Aug. 29.
“We’ll take a deep breath and talk to the Stonestreet team but we don’t want to get in a big rush with her, I know that,” Cox acknowledged.
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