Summer in Saratoga wins during autumn at Keeneland

Summer in Saratoga held off a late bid from favored Luck Money by a half-length to win the 30th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Dowager Stakes for fillies and mares Sunday afternoon.

Owned by Highlander Training Center, trained by Joe Sharp and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Summer in Saratoga covered 1 1/2 miles on a turf course rated as good in 2:30.02. It was the first victory in for Sharp and Lanerie.

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Summer in Saratoga got a ground-saving trip while racing seventh in the field of 10 as the trio of Eesha My Flower, Key Biscayne and Kelsey’s Cross led the field through fractions of 23.80, 48.93, 1:14.77 and 1:40.08.

On the far turn, Lanerie eased Summer in Saratoga off the rail, moved three wide into the stretch where he split horses at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off with enough left in the tank to hold off Luck Money.

In winning her first graded stakes and third stakes overall, Summer in Saratoga added $90,000 to her bankroll to increase her career earnings to $429,572.

A Keeneland sales graduate, Summer in Saratoga is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Hard Spun out of the Arch mare Love Theway Youare.

Summer in Saratoga returned $12.80, $5.20 and $4.20. Luck Money, ridden by Joel Rosario, returned $3.40 and $2.80 and finished two lengths ahead of Micheline, who paid $5.20 to show under Florent Geroux.

Kelsey’s Cross finished another 1 1/4 lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by English Affair, La Lune, Viburnum, Key Biscayne, Eesha My Flower and I Hear You.

A weanling half-brother to Summer in Saratoga has been cataloged to Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale, to be held Nov. 10-19. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent, the son of Omaha Beach is hip 935.

The final four days of Keeneland’s 17-day fall meet begin Wednesday, when racing resumes with an eight-race program beginning at 1 p.m. EDT. The Super High 5 carryover is $20,051.22.