Keertana draws clear in Glens Falls

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Tom Proctor chose to run Keertana in Monday’s $100,000 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga to see if his filly could possibly be considered for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf later this year.

After Keertana slid up the rail under Jose Lezcano and drew clear for a 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 race, Proctor got his answer.

“Wouldn’t you have to try her off that race?” Proctor said. “I was seeing if I could go to the dance, that’s all.”

This year’s Filly and Mare Turf will be run at 1 3/8 miles at Churchill Downs, a course where Keertana has run well.

Now, it’s just a matter of whether Keertana gets into the field. The Glens Falls was Keertana’s third win in six starts this year, but her first in a graded event. Proctor said he may opt to run Keertana in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont on Oct. 2.

Meanwhile, Forever Together, the 2008 BC Filly and Mare Turf winner and champion female grass horse, could only manage a third-place finish in the Glens Falls.

Keertana was well off the pace in sixth position but saving all the ground, while Go Ask Alex set solid fractions of 23.96 seconds and 47.79 for the half-mile and raced six furlongs in 1:12.77.

Lezcano remained content to sit chilly until the far turn when he asked Keertana to advance into contention. She cut the corner beautifully and slid up the rail inside the eighth pole, drawing off for the convincing victory.

Keertana, a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Johar, covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:01.18 and returned $12.80 to win.

Meanwhile, Forever Together suffered her seventh straight loss and fourth this year. She was beaten five lengths under Julien Leparoux.

“I wish she had been closer,” trainer Jonathan Sheppard said. “She was perfect the first part, then she started dropping further and further back. But he said she didn’t want to go and he was on her.”