Sharp comeback has Queen of Hawaii primed for Lake Placid
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Queen of Hawaii was the only 3-year-old in a field of eight when she defeated older females – including her next-out-winning stablemate Ashikidah – in a second-level allowance going a mile at Saratoga seven weeks ago. Saturday, Queen of Hawaii, will look to build on that performance when she faces eight 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid Stakes going a mile on the inner turf at Saratoga.
Going into that July 9 allowance, trainer Phil Antonacci gave a slight edge to Ashikidah over Queen of Hawaii, largely because she was a 4-year-old. In deep stretch, it looked like either one could win, but Queen of Hawaii burst between horses and got her neck in front of Play With Fire at the line. Queen of Hawaii was a Group 3 winner in Ireland before running seventh, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, in the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last fall at Del Mar.
“I think she showed her class [on July 9], beat a pretty salty field of older females, was very professional,” Antonacci said. “I’m excited about her. She drew the rail, same as she did last time. I like that I got Jose Ortiz [back], can’t get a hotter hand. She’s doing well.”
Coming off the allowance win, which was Queen of Hawaii’s first start since the Breeders’ Cup, Antonacci had the option of running in the Grade 3 Lake George at 1 1/16 miles on Aug. 1, or even the Grade 2 Saratoga Oaks going 1 3/16 miles on Aug. 7, or waiting for this.
“Second time out, off a big effort like that, we decided let’s keep her doing what she’s doing,” Antonacci said, referring to keeping her at a mile. “If she runs that type of race against these fillies her own age, she’ll be right there. We gave her the time in between, she’s really flourished, we’re very happy with the horse.”
Trainer Chad Brown has won the Lake Placid Stakes six times, all since 2018. Saturday, he sends out the pair of Naomis and Deep Learning.
Naomis, a French-bred, is making her U.S. debut following a victory in the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham Stakes at Chantilly on May 31. She was purchased privately by Madaket Stables and Michael Dubb after that race.
Brown has liked the way Naomis has trained in Saratoga, though he did point out she had a fever in early August that forced her to miss a workout on the weekend of Aug. 8-9.
“She acts like she potentially has a good turn of foot,” Brown said. “Smooth horse, came to me in good shape. We had one little hiccup midway through her training since I got her; somewhere in the middle she got a temperature for a few days. She got over it, she missed probably one work, so I just waited. I might have looked at something a little earlier in the meet but she made up my mind for me.”
Deep Learning, who has recorded both of her wins at 1 1/16 miles, is coming off a second-place finish to Amberglen in the Grade 3 Lake George. Brown is worried this one-mile race might be “a little too short for her. She’s going to need a little pace up front,” he said.
Brown said he thinks Deep Learning could be a candidate for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland in October and this might be the best race to get her prepared for that Grade 1.
Ultimate Love, trained by Michael Trombetta, may appreciate the turnback to a mile after finishing fifth, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths, in the Lake George. She has two wins and a head defeat in three starts at one mile.
East Jabip, who will go out first time for Todd Pletcher after making her first five starts for trainer Brian Lynch, should also appreciate the turnback to a mile. In her most recent start, she set the pace and finished fourth, beaten less than a length in the Pucker Up going nine furlongs at Ellis Park four weeks ago.
Nonconsecutivetrms comes off a 3 3/4-length maiden win here on Aug. 1. Kokomotion, Flowerhead, and Oscar Bound complete the field.
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