Amberglen sat a perfect stalking trip under Irad Ortiz Jr. and surged clear to win the Grade 3 Lake George on the turf by 1 1/4 lengths at Saratoga. (NYRA Photo)
Keith McCalmont
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Stonestreet Stables’ Amberglen sat a perfect trip under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and surged clear to a 1 1/4-length score in Saturday’s Grade 3, $225,000 Lake George presented by Surfside, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for sophomore fillies, at Saratoga Race Course.
Dual Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox said he was hopeful the Irish-bred Night of Thunder chestnut would take to a Saratoga turf that was rated as firm but had been subject to significant rainfall earlier in the week.
“Irad put her in a great spot, and she responded when called upon,” Cox said. “I guess there was a little concern if she’d take to the turf. Obviously, European pedigree, so I was hoping she would, with it being probably a little bit of cut in the ground. She responded well and finished up great.”
Jaime Rodriguez sent Candy Moonshine, the 30-1 longest shot on the board, to the lead straight out of the gate with Amberglen stalking comfortably to her outside in second position and the Luis Saez-piloted Lion Lake keeping close watch from third into the first turn.
Candy Moonshine showed the way through splits of 23.79 seconds and 48.70 and was traveling well into the far turn as Amberglen, under little urging, advanced into contention with Lion Lake following suit. Amberglen took command from the top of the lane as Ricardo Santana, Jr. tipped Ultimate Love out for clear racing room and the Flavien Prat-piloted Deep Learning launched her wide bid. But there would be no reeling in Amberglen, who surged home a confident winner in a final time of 1:42.33.
The victory marked the fourth Lake George score for Ortiz, Jr. following past success with Mrs McDougal [2015], Ancient Secret [2016] and Dolce Zel [2022]. The five-time Eclipse Award-winning rider said Amberglen responded well to his right-handed encouragement in the stretch run.
“She was traveling beautiful every step of the way. They were coming, but she kicked and she stayed on,” said Ortiz, Jr. of the talented Amberglen, who entered from a frontrunning five-length romp versus elders traveling nine-furlongs on June 19 at Churchill Downs.
Deep Learning completed the exacta by a neck over her rail-rushing Chad Brown-trained stablemate Honfleur with Time to Dream, Ultimate Love, Star Actress, Lion Lake and Candy Moonshine rounding out the order of finish. Scratched horses included Code, who was entered back in Friday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Oaks; and main-track only entrants Answered Prayers and Hidden Rose.
Prat said Deep Learning, last-out winner of the Listed Chelsey Flower in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, performed admirably off the layoff.
“She ran a good race. [The winner] opened up, and she was gone,” Prat said.
Amberglen graduated on debut in October at Keeneland and completed her juvenile campaign with an even fourth in the Wait A While over the Gulfstream Park synthetic in November. She returned to action in April at Keeneland when second to well-regarded Luster, who captured the Grade 3 Selene two starts later at Woodbine ahead of a lucrative score in the $750,000 Woodbine Oaks.
Amberglen, out of the Sea The Stars mare Sea Empress, was purchased for $430,301 from Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Her second dam, the Exceed And Excel mare Tayma, is a full-sister to Group 2-winner Buratino, who was twice Group 1-placed.
Cox said he will speak to the connections about a potential start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Lake Placid on August 29 here.
“It’s hard to say. We’ll take a deep breath and talk to the Stonestreet team, but we don’t want to get in a big rush with her, I know that,” Cox said.
Bred in Ireland by Sunderland Holding, Amberglen banked $123,750 in victory while improving her record to 5-3-1-0. She returned $5.32 for a $2 win bet as the 8-5 mutuel favorite.
Live racing resumes Sunday at Saratoga with an 11-race card that includes two rescheduled stakes in the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls and the Listed Curlin presented by Casamigos in Races 8 and 9. The card also features the Grade 3, $225,000 Adirondack in Race 10. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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