Lady Eli faces challenge from own barn in Diana

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Lady Eli is the established star, while Antonoe is certainly one on the rise in trainer Chad Brown’s barn, which is loaded with top-class fillies and mares for the turf. On Saturday, those two plus the consistent Dickinson meet in an intriguing renewal of the Grade 1, $500,000 Diana at Saratoga.

That trio plus Quidura, Harmonize, and My Impression make up the six-horse field for the Diana, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles over the Mellon turf course. The Diana is the main event on an 11-race card that also includes the Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds.

Lady Eli has won a Grade 1 stakes in four straight years, and that’s not even her greatest accomplishment. She overcame the potentially fatal hoof disease laminitis, which kept her away from the races for 13 months. She actually has lost three of her five starts since returning, but the combined margin of defeat in those races – the only losses in an 11-race career – is one length.

In her most recent start, Lady Eli shipped to Santa Anita for the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes. She attended a strong pace established by the Grade 1 winner Avenge before overtaking that one and winning by a half-length over Goodyearforroses.

In the Diana, there is no confirmed front-runner, leading to a potential game of cat and mouse among the riders. Last year, when Lady Eli returned to the races in the Ballston Spa, Brown put in a rabbit, or pacemaker, but the plan backfired because it also assisted Strike Charmer, who beat Lady Eli by three-quarters of a length.

Brown said the pace Saturday is out of his control, and he’ll let jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. position Lady Eli where he feels she’s comfortable.

“She adapted well in the Gamely,” Brown said.

Brown said it took Lady Eli a little while to get over her trip to California. But her training in recent weeks suggests she’s ready for another race.

“She’s training as good as ever,” Brown said.

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Antonoe is 2 for 2 since she was sent to the U.S. and Brown by owner Juddmonte Farms. Antonoe won an allowance race gong 1 1/16 miles around two turns at Keeneland. She then showed an electric turn of foot to rally from last off modest fractions in winning the Grade 1 Just a Game at a mile at Belmont.

Dickinson is one of three horses to have defeated Lady Eli, doing so in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland on April 8. Dickinson got stopped behind a wall of horses in midstretch, and Lady Eli got the jump on her, but Dickinson, once in the clear, came running to nail Lady Eli.

Pace may not be as much of a concern for Dickinson.

“We can lay close if need be,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

KEY CONTENDERS

Lady Eli, by Divine Park

Last 3 Beyers: 104-99-104

◗ After missing by a head in the Jenny Wiley, Lady Eli took on Avenge early and then held off Goodyearforroses late in the Gamely at 1 1/8 miles.

“Her Gamely was a really, really good race; so was the Jenny Wiley,” Brown said. “Maybe she hit the front a little soon. Happy with her two efforts this year. She’s a remarkable horse to win Grade 1’s four years in a row.”

Dickinson, by Medaglia d’Oro

Last 3 Beyers: 98-100-99

◗ She has gone 5 for 7 on turf and is 2 for 2 at 1 1/8 miles.

“We have a lot of respect for Lady Eli and others, obviously, but we are doing great,” McLaughlin said. “Our last race, we were disappointed to get beat by two fillies who we were giving eight pounds.”

Antonoe, by First Defence

Beyers: 101-90

◗ She was getting eight pounds from Dickinson in the Just a Game. On Saturday, they’re at level weights.

◗ This will be her first try going as far as 1 1/8 miles.

“She won at a mile and a sixteenth already at Keeneland,” Brown said. “She got around two turns just fine there. I don’t see it as being a problem. If anything. I was more concerned cutting her back to a mile than stretching her out.”

Quidura, by Dubawi

Last 3 Beyers: 100-97-96

◗ Beaten only 1 1/4 lengths by Dickinson and Lady Eli in her first start of the year and came back to run second behind the repeating graded stakes winner Hawksmoor in the Grade 2 New York Stakes.

◗ At 115 pounds, she gets eight pounds from Lady Eli and six from Antonoe and Dickinson.