Rutherienne slips through in Lake George

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Christophe Clement and jockey Garrett Gomez completed a sweep of Friday's two stakes races at Saratoga when Rutherienne slipped through along the hedge to outfinish Lady Attack by a neck and capture the $115,100 Lake George Stakes. The pair also combined to win the $83,000 Dinner Diamond Stakes earlier in the day with Rewrite.

Gomez, who won four races on the twilight program, allowed Rutherienne to settle near the rear of the 11-horse field during the opening six furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile Lake George. Rutherienne saved ground around the second turn, commenced her rally along the inside once settling into the stretch, then found ample room inside the tiring and drifting Classic Neel to outfinish Lady Attack.

Lady Attack, who entered the Grade 3 Lake George undefeated in two starts on grass, swung wide leaving the turn and finished full of run down the middle of the course to be second. She finished a neck in front of Sharp Susan, who was also coming on strong at the end.

Rutherienne completed the distance in 1:40.34 over a firm course and returned $7.50 as the lukewarm favorite. The homebred daughter of Pulpit is owned by Virginia Kraft Payson LLC.

"My only worry was at the eighth pole when I had to come through on the last horse," said Gomez. "It got a little tight for a second. She never thought about it. I did.

"Her heart makes two of her. She always gives 110 percent. I wish they were all like her."

* Rewrite ($9.80) also finished strongly under Gomez to catch a game Half Heaven for a neck triumph in the Dinner Diamond, a one-mile overnight stakes for New York-bred fillies. Iron Goddess finished third, a length in front of 2-1 favorite Rahys' Appeal.

- additional reporting by David Grening