Woodbine: Based on company, Mechaya figures tough in Glorious Song

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Going by the company she’s been keeping, the California shipper Mechaya should be formidable in Sunday’s $150,000 Glorious Song Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Mechaya is based with trainer John Sadler at Santa Anita, where she was a distant second in an Oct. 4 allowance to Beholder, who took the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies there Nov. 2.

Mechaya graduated at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special over Del Mar’s Polytrack in August. For covering the distance in 1:03.03, she was awarded a substantial 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mechaya checked in third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. Beholder lost that seven-furlong stakes by a nose to Executiveprivilege, who endured her first loss when second in the BC Juvenile Fillies.

Goldstryke Glory appears to be the most talented local runner in the Glorious Song. A month after ending up second in her Sept. 15 debut, she won a six-furlong maiden special by nine lengths in 1:09.73, a time that translated into an 83 Beyer.

“We really liked her, but I think she surprised everybody,” said trainer Terry Jordan, regarding that impressive maiden win. “It was a little more than anybody expected out of her.”

Jordan sent Goldstryke Glory out for a six-furlong breeze in 1:14.60 on the Polytrack on Nov. 2.

“She’s been training very well,” Jordan said. “She’s a very decent horse. This race will really tell what her value is.”

Shenandoah Lady is shortening up from a route. After closing for third in her six-furlong debut, she won a seven-furlong maiden special on the lead Aug. 12. She went on to finish a close sixth in the Grade 2 Natalma Stakes on turf, but is exiting a fading fourth in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes.

Trainer Steve Attard said Shenandoah Lady has yet to emulate her stamina-oriented pedigree.

“She’s bred to like the grass and to go far, but maybe she doesn’t want to,” Attard said. “I thought she ran fantastic going a mile in the Natalma. Then, she came back in the [Mazarine], and I wasn’t pleased. I thought she should have been at least second there. Her two best races were going three-quarters and seven-eighths on the Poly.”

Shenandoah Lady breezed a half-mile in 49.20 on Wednesday.

“She worked great,” Attard said. “I think she’s going to run good.”

Sweet Redemption won her debut in the six-furlong Ontario Debutante Stakes in August. She has been idle since finishing up the track Sept. 8 in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Lassie.

Completing the field are Lady Bear and Leinan, who was supplemented for $3,000.