Lady Montdore faces Brown trio in Glens Falls

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It could come down to the known vs. the unknown when handicapping Saturday’s $250,000 Glens Falls at Saratoga.

The known, as is the case in most turf stakes here this summer, is that trainer Chad Brown is loaded coming into the Grade 2 Glens Falls, having entered the trio of likely favorite Santa Monica, Homeland Security, and Onthemoonagain.

The unknown is the regally bred Lady Montdore, who makes her U.S. stakes debut in the 1 3/8-mile Glens Falls off an impressive 4 1/2-length allowance win here four weeks ago.

Campaigned by Godolphin and trained by Tom Albertrani, Lady Montdore is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of the Grade 1 winner and $2.3 million earner Hystericalady. She began her career with trainer Andre Fabre and made five starts in France, where she won a maiden race at Saint-Cloud last June and ran third in a Group 3 stakes at Deauville last August.

:: Wager on racing at Saratoga with DRF Bets

Lady Montdore joined Albertrani’s barn in May and was given ample time before launching her 2018 campaign under first-level allowance conditions going 1 3/8 miles here on Aug. 6. She prompted the early running, took command at the top of the stretch, and drew away.

Lady Montdore experienced heat distress immediately after the race, but Albertrani said he doesn’t anticipate that occurring again on Saturday.

“It was very hot that day, and I don’t think we were the only ones faced with that issue,” said Albertrani. “She was in a little distress in the winner’s circle after the race, but once we got her back to the barn she cooled out fine. With the weather forecast being a little cooler this weekend, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about it happening again.”

Albertrani said he was confident Lady Montdore would run well in her U.S. bow, but admitted she exceeded his expectations.

“She trained well and I thought she’d run big – maybe just not that big – and I think she should move forward off that race,” said Albertrani. “It looks like this race should suit her very well.”

Santa Monica has won two of her three starts since coming to the U.S. and joining Brown’s barn earlier this year. She exits her best performance yet, a last-to-first half-length triumph in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine on June 30. Santa Monica missed a potential start earlier in the meet when she twice was scratched out of the postponed Waya.

“Her last quarter-mile was very impressive at Woodbine,” said Brown. “Now there’s a little bit more of a layoff to contend with, but she seems to be a real class horse and the distance is good for her.”

Homeland Security has also won two of her last three starts, including the River Memories going 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park on July 8. Savannah Belle and Summersault, second and third behind her that day, are also entered in the Glens Falls.

Brown said he was impressed with Homeland Security’s race in the River Memories off a break of almost seven weeks.

“Got to give her credit off a layoff – she went a mile and a half after haven’t running in a while, so for her to beat some horses that had been running, I thought was impressive,” said Brown. “Now she has a race under her belt, I think this filly is set up to run well.”

Onthemoonagain, Group 2 placed in France last year at age 3, has raced once since coming to the U.S. She finished a slow-starting third as the even-money favorite behind Danceland under high-priced optional-claiming conditions here earlier in the meet.

– additional reporting by David Grening