Lady Alexandra meets tough Europeans in Intercontinental Stakes

ELMONT, New York – Two fillies whose paths nearly crossed in France about this time last year could play key roles in the Grade 3, $200,000 Intercontinental Stakes on Thursday at Belmont.

La Sardane was second in the Group 3 Prix de la Grotte and won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham a little more than a year ago. After two allowance races in Kentucky this spring, getting the feel of U.S. racing, she returns to stakes competition with a better chance than her 20-1 morning-line odds.

Delectation was based in Germany but shipped to France and finished 16th in the 2017 French 1000 Guineas. She’s a better filly than that, and stretching out to a more suitable seven furlongs Thursday after a fine-closing fourth in the five-furlong Twin Spires Turf Sprint on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, Delectation looks a prime player.

Lady Alexandra is the likely Intercontinental favorite after a sharp victory here in the $100,000 License Fee Stakes over six furlongs on April 29, her first start in nine months and first for trainer Graham Motion. Lady Alexandra, who hadn’t won a stakes race in her first six starts, tracked the pacesetter, took the lead with ease, and won off by 3 1/2 lengths, running six furlongs in 1:08.29, good for a high 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I knew she was a talented filly, but I wasn’t expecting that,” Motion said.

Lady Alexandra paid $18.80 in the License Fee. She’ll be less than half the price Thursday while facing a stronger field and the possibility of regression.

The Intercontinental is carded as race 7, post time 5:14 Eastern.

KEY CONTENDERS

La Sardane, by Kingsalsa
Beyers: 84-66-NA

◗ She was beaten by Senga in the De la Grotte (after which Team Valor purchased her) and defeated Senga in the Sandringham. Senga went on to win the Group 1 French Oaks.

◗ She was five wide on both turns racing nearly last behind a slow pace at Keeneland – not just a bad trip, but the wrong trip for a free-running filly.

◗ Trainer Neil Drysdale took off cheek pieces in her last start, a Churchill allowance. La Sardane took total control running a furlong between the quarter pole and the eighth pole in about 11.25 seconds.

◗ Pulls too hard sometimes, which makes the Intercontinental a potentially great fit, because she’ll be outrun early by some faster horses.

Delectation, by Delegator
Beyers: 92-91-NA

◗ Broke flat-footed in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill and had too much to do to catch victorious Will Call despite running her final furlong in 11.58 seconds. “They didn’t come back to her,” said trainer Wesley Ward. “Seven-eighths is what she needs.”

Lady Alexandra, by More Than Ready
Last 3 Beyers: 104-74-86

◗ Ran so well in the License Fee that Motion considered her for the Grade 1 Just a Game.

◗ She’s had two easy works at Fair Hill between starts as Motion tries to keep her from bouncing. “I’ve tried to go easy on her,” Motion said. “I’m a big believer in a second race after a layoff being the worst race, but with her, she was really ready to run when she came back, and I think that helps a lot.”

Thundering Sky, by Sky Mesa
Last 3 Beyers: 84-89-94

◗ The field’s most substantial class-dropper is coming out of three Grade 2 stakes and cutting back from a long string of two-turn races.

◗ Won the Pebbles Stakes over a one-turn mile on this course in 2016.

Stormy Victoria, by Stormy River
Last 3 Beyers: 95-91-99

◗ Finished a distant second to Lady Alexandra at a distance short of her best, but finished well. “By the time she started running the race was already over,” said trainer Christophe Clement. “Seven-eighths should be perfect, she likes Belmont, the weather looks good – let’s go!”