Ancient Secret tries to stay unbeaten in Lake George
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Friday’s $200,000 Lake George is the first graded turf stakes of the Saratoga meeting, and it should come as no surprise that trainer Chad Brown will come into the race with the strongest hand. Brown sends out the undefeated stakes winner Ancient Secret as the likely favorite, along with the lightly raced but talented Elysea’s World.
A full field of 12 3-year-old fillies has been entered for the Grade 2 Lake George, one of two stakes on Friday’s opening-day program at Saratoga, along with the Grade 3 Schuylerville.
The New York-bred Ancient Secret is perfect in three starts, having won her first two outings by a combined 7 1/4 lengths before finishing strongly to register a head decision over Thundering Sky in the one-mile Wild Applause last month at Belmont. She’ll stretch out to 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Lake George.
“It’s hard to start off your career 3 for 3, especially on the turf, where you’re so trip dependent,” said Brown. “She’s not going to be a mile-and-one-quarter horse, so every little incremental stretch like this is going to be an experiment. But she’s a nice little filly, and I think she’ll go an extra sixteenth around two turns, although this will be a test for her.”
Elysea’s World also opened her career with a pair of wins, the first in France at 2, the second at Belmont this spring, before incurring her first defeat when sixth in the Wonder Again at Belmont.
“We’ve always had high hopes for her,” said Brown. “She was kind of buried in the back of the pack and didn’t get a great trip in her last start. But the way she’s training, I expect her to run well.”
Thundering Sky held the lead through much of the stretch of the Wild Applause before being run down late by Ancient Secret. Thundering Sky threw her head when shying from the stick and took a somewhat erratic path through the final furlong in a courageous performance that was easily the best of her career.
Sky My Sky is an improving filly who also comes off her best yet, a wire-to-wire allowance win going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs. She could wind up the lone speed again in a Lake George field that is lacking much in the way of pace.
Key Contenders
Ancient Secret, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 86-79-65
◗ Despite the lack of pace in the race, Brown said he’s not going to have jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. take her out of her game.
“Although both my fillies need a little pace to run at, I’ll have my riders place the horses where they are comfortable and try not to worry about the pace,” he said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Ancient Secret. Trainer Chad Brown is 13-5-0-2 with a $4.12 ROI over the past five years in turf graded stakes at Saratoga with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Elysea’s World, by Champs Elysees
Beyers: 83-81
◗ Brown said he is a bit concerned about the weather for his two fillies.
“They are calling for some rain Friday afternoon, and I think both these fillies would prefer firmer ground,” he said.
Thundering Sky, by Sky Mesa
Last 3 Beyers: 86-79-78
◗ She will enjoy a six-pound weight shift to her advantage in her rematch with Ancient Secret under the allowance conditions of the Lake George.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 12 Gone Away. Trainer Michael Matz is 72-12-8-6 with a $4.05 ROI over the past five years in turf races at Saratoga.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan