Godolphin ready to take its turn with Althiqa and Summer Romance in Diana

While Coolmore took the final Grade 1 races at the Belmont meet on Saturday, its international rival, Godolphin Racing, will look to take the first Grade 1 of the Saratoga season with Althiqa and Summer Romance in Saturday’s $500,000 Diana Stakes.

Althiqa beat Summer Romance by three-quarters of a length when they ran 1-2 in the Grade 1 Just a Game going a mile at Belmont Park on June 5. Summer Romance beat Althiqa when they finished 1-3 in the Group 2 Balanchine at Meydan in February. That race was at 1 1/8 miles, the distance of the Diana.

“I think Summer Romance is in serious good form and Althiqa is fine,” said Sophie Chretien, assistant to Charlie Appleby. “They both are fine, but I think Summer is really, really well at the moment.”

On Sunday, both put in workouts over the Belmont Park turf course. Summer Romance started two lengths behind Althiqa and finished on even terms, with Summer Romance going in 51.63 seconds and Althiqa in 52.03.

Both horses were scheduled to van to Saratoga on Monday.

The Diana, entries for which will be drawn Wednesday, is expected to also include Harvey’s Lil Goil, La Signare, Lemista, Magic Attitude, Pocket Square, and Vigilante’s Way.

On Sunday, at Belmont, Lemista and Pocket Square worked five furlongs together in 1:02.04. They are both trained by Chad Brown, who has won the last five Dianas and six overall.

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