Regal Glory bests stablemates in three-horse Lake George

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bizarre, unique, unprecedented, surreal – all adjectives that could describe Friday’s $150,000 Lake George Stakes at Saratoga, which scratched down to just three starters, all from the barn of trainer Chad Brown.

In the end, it was Regal Glory, the longest price on the board at 2-1, who proved best in the Grade 3 Lake George for 3-year-old fillies, rallying from off the pace under Luis Saez to a half-length decision over the pacesetting Blowout. Their stablemate, Dogtag, finished another 1 3/4 lengths farther back in third.

The Lake George was originally drawn with seven fillies. The Mackem Bullet scratched due to a foot abscess discovered the morning of the race. Her stablemate Stillwater Cove will run Saturday at Del Mar in the San Clemente. Trainer Wayne Catalano decided the hot weather and stiff competition were ample reason to withdraw Winter Sunset, while Espresso Shot was entered for the main track only.

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Regal Glory, a popular and easy winner of the Penn Oaks in her previous start, rated at the rear of the three-horse field for the opening six furlongs, angled four wide when roused midway the second turn, overtook Blowout near the furlong marker, and held sway under strong handling by Saez.

Blowout set a reasonable pace, gave up the lead a furlong from home, but held on bravely to the end. Dogtag tracked the leader from the outset and was outfinished by her two stablemates through the stretch.

A daughter of Animal Kingdom, Regal Glory is owned by her breeder Paul Pompa Jr. She paid $6.60 after completing a mile over the firm inner course in 1:36.23.

“This was a situation that never happened before and probably will never happen again,” said Brown, who sent out the three Lake George starters for three different owners. “All three fillies seemed to run well. Regal Glory just had a little more today.”

Brown said he really didn’t give any of his riders instructions prior to the race.

“I just told all the jockeys to try to ride their own race and do the best they can to win,” said Brown. “Outside of that, I told them if they wanted to talk to their individual client or their representatives who were here today, and draw up a plan, that was fine. I didn’t give any instructions other than that. I thought that was the fairest way to handle it. Maybe the odds were a little off, but I thought these horses were so close. I do my best to treat these horses individually, these three horses really fit the Lake George well, that’s why they were in there.”