Lady Montdore Goes Gate to Wire in G2 Glens Falls

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Godolphin Racing’s homebred Lady Montdore made it two in a row on Saturday while going gate-to-wire to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga.

Breaking from the far outside 8 post under Manny Franco, Lady Montdore found herself alone on the front end and was allowed to post passively unpressured splits of :27.79, :54.56, 1:21.31, and 1:46.45. Set down for the drive with a 2-length advantage, Lady Montdore dug in and held off all challengers while inching away late to win by a driving 2 1/4 lengths. The final time for the Tom Albertrani trainee’s score was 2:20.78 for 1 3/8 miles over an inner turf course rated good.

“Tom told me not to fight her,” Franco said. “If she wants to go, let her go. That’s what I did. I didn’t get in her way and she relaxed out there by herself. From the 1/4 pole to the wire, she was just running like a bullet. I feel great. I’ve been having a great meet, thanks to my agent and the owners who keep putting me on horses, and it’s a good feeling.”

Though always within range, the 3/2 favorite Santa Monica never had the turn of foot necessary to overpower the loose-on-the-lead winner and had to settle for second. Danceland necked out third over Onthemoonagain, while Savannah Belle took fifth. Summersault headed La Manta Gris for sixth, while Homeland Security never fired and completed the order of finish. Land Mine, the field’s lone main track only entry, was scratched.

Lady Montdore’s win was her second in as many American starts after previously competing in her native France and improved her worldwide race record to 7-3-1-2. The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, whose lifetime bankroll now sits at $233,956, was transferred to Albertrani’s care back in May and debuted on September 6 in an allowance race over this same course and distance.

“This is a really a wonderful filly to have around the barn,” Albertrani said. “She didn’t look like much when she first came in – very skinny and light framed – and then she got my attention as she trained. She looked very talented and I started to really like her. She just went around the track with her ears pricked and made it look easy.”

When asked about his plans for her to close out the year, Albertrani didn’t hesitate.

“I’m looking big, like the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons we brought her back to this race. Maybe the (Grade 1, $500,000) Flower Bowl (on October 7 at Belmont Park) is next. We’ll see how the timing works out.”

Lady Montdore returned $10.40 to win, $4.50 to place, and $3.80 to show. Santa Monica brought back $2.90 to place and $2.50 to show, while Danceland paid $5.30 to show.