Saratoga: La Mehana, Bellezza give Clément exacta in Glens Falls
La Mehana ran away from runner-up Bellezza in the homestretch to give trainer Miguel Clément the exacta Sunday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes for seven older fillies and mares going 1 1/2 miles on rain-softened inner turf at Saratoga.
“It’s not often you win graded stakes like that by open lengths,” Clément said. “So it’s very rewarding for the whole team.”
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A France-bred, 6-year-old Al Wukair mare, La Mehana (5-2) raced in third before jockey Flavien Prat accelerated her through the third turn and into the lead at the top of the stretch. She drew away by 8 3/4 lengths over Ireland-bred 4-year-old Bellezza (8-5), the post-time favorite who closed from sixth place to finish second. Long Ago (7-2), a Great Britain-bred 5-year-old, set the early pace before finishing third.
“The ground was actually quite soft. She was handling it well,” Prat said. “She jumped well out of there, and I was able to get a good position into the first turn. Always on the bridle the whole way. I didn’t want to move too soon, but in the meantime everybody was kind of falling apart in front of me, and it was time to go. She made a good run.”
The winning time was 2:30.54 on a course rated yielding by Equibase and good by the New York Racing Association. The early splits were 24.04, 48.77, 1:13.99, 1:39.02 and 2:04.88.
Clément said the morning rain that put some give in the ground and forced four undercard races off the turf did not help Bellezza. She also finished third on yielding Saratoga turf June 6 in the New York (G1).
“Without a doubt it hindered Bellezza’s chances,” he said. “I thought she was a little bit unlucky in the New York because of the going. Nevertheless, La Mehana ran very well in France. She’s a very efficient mover. Very light on her feet. With her pedigree and her running style, it was a great advantage for us.”
La Mehana paid $7.00, $2.90 and $2.30; Bellezza $3.20 and $2.40; and Long Ago $2.90.
Owned by LSU Stables, La Mehana was coming off a first-level allowance victory June 27 going 1 3/8 miles on firm turf at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet. That was her last race for Christophe Clément, her new trainer’s late father.
“Dad secured her in France two years ago at the Deauville sale,” Clément said. “He’s been very successful purchasing horses abroad and bringing them back to the States. The stable has done well with them. They have talent. That’s the most important part.”
Clément said the 1 3/8-mile Flower Bowl (G2) on Aug. 30 would be considered for La Mehana’s next start.
La Mehana earned $137,500 for the win, which lifted his record to 24: 9-1-6 and his career bankroll to $641,847.