The 69 Summer Stakes are spectacular at Saratoga! This Friday, 7/21/17, live action returns to The Spa track and it will be a fast and fantastic 40 days for racing fans. Opening weekend spotlights filly and mare stakes. Some of America’s best will race including the talented, Lady Eli!
Lady Eli, a 5 year-old mare born to Divine Park and Sacre Coeur, was bred in Kentucky at Runnymede Farm. She was born February 2nd, 2012. She is a double Keeneland Sales Grad and has raced there twice as well finishing 1st and 2nd respectively. However, she got her start racing and winning at Saratoga!
Ladi Eli’s first entry was a maiden special weight at Saratoga in New York on 8/25/14. She won that race as she began a 6 straight winning streak. During that time she won the Miss Grillo Stakes (Grade 3) at Belmont, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G 1) at Santa Anita, the Appalachian Stakes (G 3) at Keeneland, the Wonder Again Stakes at Belmont and the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G 1) at Belmont.
Following, her triumphant streak, she stepped on a nail and developed laminitis. Fortunately, she recovered and returned to Saratoga the end of the following month in the Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa Stakes (G 2). There, Lady Eli had her first defeat though she still finished in the money, in 2nd place. Lady Eli always runs first or 2nd! Since then she has finished 1st in the Flower Bowl Stakes (G 1) at Belmont and most recently in the Gamely Stakes (G 1) at Santa Anita in late May. She had two other 2nd place finishes, the BC Filly and Mare Turf (G 1) at Santa Anita and the Coolmore Jenny Wiley Stakes (G 1) at Keeneland, where I photographed her. In all Lady Eli has 11 career starts.
If luck be a lady then Lady Eli will win again when she makes her return to Saratoga this Saturday in the 80th running of the Grade 1 Diana Stakes! The Diana is a turf stakes of 1 and 1/8th mile (9 furlongs) for fillies and mare age 3 and upwards. It is a race named for a Greek goddess and was inaugurated in 1939. The purse is $500,000. Expected contenders for the race also include, Dickinson, Antonoe, War Flag, Quidura, On Leave, Harmonize, and My Impression.
Lady Eli is owned by Sheep Pond Partners. She is trained by Chad C. Brown and Irad Ortiz, Jr. is her rider. Last year, Sheep Pond Partners (and Bradley Thoroughbreds), Brown and Ortiz won the Diana with Dacita! That’s another thing going for our lucky lady, Lady Eli has the reigning owner, trainer and jockey on her team.
Be sure to catch all the outstanding stakes at Saratoga this weekend. Friday features the Lake George (G 3) for 3 year-old turf fillies, and the Schuylerville (G 3) for 2 year-old fillies. Saturday holds the Diana, as discussed above and the Sanford (G 3) for 2 year-olds. Man o’ War’s only loss occurred in the Sanford, look for an upset in that race. Then, Sunday showcases the Coaching Club American Oaks Stakes for 3 year-old fillies, known as the second leg of the Triple Tiara. Each of these days, race 1 posts at 1 P.M. EDT.
Best of luck to Lady Eli and all the Thoroughbreds that race there between Friday and September 4th. It is sure to be a great 149th meet.
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