Lady Eli, Strike Charmer could meet again, in Flower Bowl
Trainer Chad Brown had mixed emotions regarding Lady Eli’s second-place finish to Strike Charmer in Saturday’s Grade 2 Ballston Spa Stakes at Saratoga. Naturally, he was disappointed that Lady Eli suffered her first career defeat, beaten three-quarters of a length by Strike Charmer.
But Lady Eli ran terrific in her first start in nearly 14 months, after overcoming laminitis. Strike Charmer’s time of 1:38.77 was a stakes record, eclipsing the mark of 1:39.07 set by Zagora in 2012.
“It was a lot to ask of her, she ran great, she looks good this morning,” Brown said. “Most importantly, she came back fine so far.”
Brown said that he would point Lady Eli to the Grade 1 Flower Bowl on Oct. 8 at Belmont Park, but would run her only “on firm ground.”
Trainer Mark Hennig said that Strike Charmer would also be pointed to the Flower Bowl, run at 1 1/4 miles, a distance she has yet to attempt.
“It’s certainly worth a try,” Hennig said. “It’s a Grade 1 and she deserves a shot at one of these.”
Earlier this year, Strike Charmer won the Beaugay at Belmont, also at 1 1/16 miles.
Strike Charmer, a 6-year-old daughter of Smart Strike owned by Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farms, earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure for the performance.