Brown loaded for Glens Falls

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With three of the seven prospective starters for Saturday’s $250,000 Glens Falls, the question may not be whether trainer Chad Brown will win the Grade 2 stakes for fillies and mares, but which one of the three he will win it with. The 1 3/8-mile Glens Falls is one of two graded turf stakes on Saturday’s 12-race card here Saturday along with the Grade 3 Saranac.

Brown will send out likely favorite Santa Monica, the steadily improving Fools Gold, and English-bred Night of England in the Glens Falls. They’ll face a lineup that includes defending champ Lady Montdore; the Graham Motion-trained pair of Empressof the Nile and Mrs. Sippy; and Violet Blue and Get Explicit. Indy Union has been entered for main track only.

Santa Monica is coming off a troubled third-place finish behind Fools Gold and Get Explicit as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Waya here four weeks earlier. The setback snapped a two-race win streak that consisted of victories in the Grade 3 Orchid and Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay. Santa Monica finished second as the 3-2 choice behind Lady Montdore in the 2018 Glens Falls.

Fools Gold rallied from just off the pace to a three-quarter-length decision over Get Explicit in the 1 1/2-mile Waya, becoming a graded stakes winner in her first attempt. The 92 Beyer Speed Figure she earned marked the seventh straight race her Beyer number has improved dating back to March of 2018.

Night of England returned from an eight-month layoff to finish fifth as the even-money favorite in a first-level allowance race here on July 28. The 4-year-old was Group 1-placed in Germany during the summer of 2018 before joining Brown’s potent stable that fall.

“I believe any of the three can win with the right trip,” said Brown. “Santa Monica really did not have a good trip in the Waya. Fools Good did and she’s really been developing right along this year, getting bigger and stronger, and I have a lot of respect for her. The race didn’t unfold the way we thought it would here for Night of England, but she got what we wanted out of it and I believe she’s good enough to be competitive in here.”

Lady Montdore has been winless in four starts since leading throughout to register a 2 ¼-length victory in last year’s renewal of the Glens Fall. She has started just twice in 2019, finishing a distant fourth behind Santa Monica in the Sheepshead Bay and a well-beaten fifth in the Grade 2 New York.

Strong in Saranac, too

Brown will also send out Good Governance as one of the leading contenders in the 1 1/16-mile Saranac. He is one of six entered in the stakes for 3-year-olds, although no more than five are expected to start, with Tracksmith likely to run instead Saturday in the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.

Good Governance won his only start, rallying from last to a game nose decision going a mile here on Aug. 4.

“He’s always a horse we thought a lot of,” said Brown. “He overcame a rough trip to win his first start. I don’t usually throw a horse like this right into a stakes, but it’s a short field, he’s training really well out of the race, and I like both the distance and timing of the race. I expect him to move forward off his first start. He’s very talented but he will be facing some seasoned horses, so it’s going to be a real test for him.”

Trainer Mike Trombetta is also looking for an improved outing from Global Access over his third-place finish in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame in his local bow on Aug. 2. Global Access became a graded stakes winner earlier this year when he captured the Grade 3 Marine at Woodbine.

“He didn’t have a perfect trip here last time,” Trombetta said. “He got a little rank down inside and the track, at the time, was carrying speed, too. The ground might be a little more forgiving this time of season. I also like the distance better for him as well – the longer the better – and the fact he’s been here since that race and can walk right out of his stall and go. That should help us too.”

Seismic Wave will get a little class relief after being overmatched in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby and the Saratoga Derby Invitational in his last two starts.

“I have a feeling that maybe shortening him up could help him, and he’s been running against tougher horses,” said Mott.

The lightly raced Power Player and New York-bred Rinaldi complete the lineup.

– additional reporting by David Grening