Somali Lemonade's revival continues in Diana

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Nearly retired after a string of dull races to conclude her 4-year-old season, Somali Lemonade has made the most of her chance to race at age 5, becoming a Grade 1 winner Saturday with a thrilling neck victory over Stephanie’s Kitten in the $500,000 Diana Stakes at Saratoga.

It was the first Grade 1 victory for Somali Lemonade, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid owned and bred by Caroline Forgason, a sister-in-law of the mare’s trainer, Michael Matz. It was also the third win in five starts this year for Somali Lemonade who has put herself among the leaders of the filly and mare turf division.

“She’s better now at 5 than she was her whole life,” Matz said.

Somali Lemonade won the Grade 3 Dr. James Penney Handicap at Parx in July 2013, but then was a non-factor in four consecutive graded stakes. Matz suggested that maybe it was time to retire and breed her. But Forgason only had the one horse and asked Matz to give her one more shot.

Matz put blinkers on Somali Lemonade this past winter in Florida and after finishing second in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River at Gulfstream, Somali Lemonade won a stakes-caliber allowance at Keeneland and the Grade 3 Gallorette at Pimlico before running a game third in the Just a Game at Belmont.

Those results came with Somali Lemonade racing on the lead. Saturday, under Luis Saez, Somali Lemonade found herself third early - saving all the ground along the hedge - behind Discreet Marq and Tannery and then Discreet Marq and Alterite.

Saez guided Somali Lemonade to the three-path in the stretch and she collared Discreet Marq inside the sixteenth pole. Stephanie’s Kitten, under Frankie Dettori, came with a wide charge down the center of the track, but fell a neck short. It was another neck back to Discreet Marq in third.

Discreet Marq was followed, in order, by Abaco, Solid Appeal, Strathnaver, Caroline Thomas, Alterite, Emollient, and Tannery.

Somali Lemonade covered the 1 1/8 miles over firm turf in 1:48.51 and returned $24.60.

“She didn’t need to be on the lead but listen, what the hell do I know at this point?” Matz said. “She’s on the lead. She’s come-from-behind. She’s just a good filly. She showed it today, it was a pretty tough group she ran against. I don’t know if it was blinkers. I don’t know if it was maturity, but she’s doing well right now.”

It was the second straight year that Stephanie’s Kitten lost the Diana by a narrow margin. Last year, she was beaten a half-length when third to Laughing.

Saturday, Stephanie’s Kitten had a wide trip throughout, breaking from post 9 in a 10-horse field.

“What beat me was the outside draw,” Dettori said. “Unfortunate to lose ground all the time. The winner opened up three lengths on me and I just ran out of stretch.”

Despite having not been out since last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Alterite was the 5-2 favorite. She raced close up early and then applied pressure to Discreet Marq down the backstretch before fading in the stretch. She finished eighth, beaten just three lengths.

Jockey Javier Castellano said he felt Alterite just got tired and should move forward from the race.