Glens Falls Reunites Top Three from Waya Stakes

There's bound to be a feeling of déjà vu about the $250,000 Glens Falls Stakes (G2T) as the 1 3/8-mile turf stakes Aug. 31 at Saratoga Race Course brings together the first three finishers from earlier in the meet in the longer Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (G3T).

Wise Racing's Fools Gold posted her initial graded stakes victory in the Waya—and the first for her owner, Allen Wise—and stands a strong chance of picking up additional stakes laurels before the Spa closes its doors and racing returns to Belmont Park next week.

After finishing second for trainer Chad Brown in the 1 1/2-mile River Memories Stakes at Belmont, the 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro  returned at the same distance in the Waya and in her graded stakes debut rolled to a three-quarter-length victory over Get Explicit and stablemate Santa Monica, two of her seven turf rivals in Saturday's three-turn stakes (there is also a main-track-only entrant, just in case raindrops start falling).

The highly consistent Fools Gold had been knocking on the door of a graded stakes win with a record that now stands at four wins, three seconds, and three thirds in 12 starts.

"She's continued to mature coming out of the Waya," said Brown, who also trains Glens Falls starters Santa Monica and Night of England. "We stretched her out in distance for the first time in the River Memories, in which she ran a good second. Winning the Waya off that start, she seems to appreciate going long and has trained well heading into the Glens Falls."

Bought for $425,000 from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Fools Gold was originally purchased for $180,000 by Keat's Grove Farm from Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency's consignment at The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky fall yearling sale.

While Fools Gold was sent off at 3-1 in the Waya, Neil and Eleanor McIntyre's Get Explicit managed to sneak past handicappers at 23-1 odds as she overcame a slow pace to rally from last in the field of six to grab second by a neck over Santa Monica.

Trained by Barbara Minshall, the 4-year-old Get Stormy  filly was beaten in her past seven starts but finished second in the 2018 Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2T) and third this year in the Nassau Stakes (G2T).

R Unicorn Stable's Santa Monica, a 6-year-old Mastercraftsman mare, was the 6-5 favorite in the Waya but had a troubled trip that began on the wrong note when she hit the side of the starting gate at the break. She was steadied on the backstretch and then lost ground while rallying five wide in closing to finish third, just a length behind her stablemate.

"She entered the Waya coming in off a (three-month) layoff and was a little compromised by the pace last time," Brown said. "Hopefully, she'll get more pace in this race, but she's been training well."

Martin Schwartz's Night of England arrived in the United States last year after starting seven times in Germany with one win. After showing speed in her U.S. debut Nov. 24 in the Long Island Stakes (G3T) at Aqueduct Racetrack, she weakened and finished fifth. In her lone 2019 start, she was fifth, beaten only a half-length despite a rough trip, in a July 28 allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga.

Both of Night of England's U.S. starts came at 1 3/8 miles.

"We'll look for her to improve," Brown said. "She's been training equally as well as Santa Monica and Fools Gold and also deserves a shot in here."

Lady Montdore will look to defend her Glens Falls title as the Godolphin runner makes her first start since an off-the-board finish in the New York Stakes (G2T) June 7 on the inner turf at Belmont. Trained by Tom Albertrani, the daughter of Medaglia d'Oro won both of her 2018 Saratoga starts.

Trainer Graham Motion will send out a pair of Glens Falls starters in Empressof the Nile and Mrs. Sippy.

Empressof the Nile, a 5-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile owned by Madaket Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, and Robert Masiello, overcame a wide trip to win an Aug. 1 allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga and is seeking her first graded stakes victory.

She was purchased by BSW Bloodstock for $300,000 from the Brookdale Sales consignment at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale after originally going to William Clifton Jr. for $75,000 from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Andrew Stone's Mrs. Sippy is making her U.S. debut after winning two of nine starts in Europe and finishing second in a group 3 stakes in 2018. In two starts this year, she lost by a combined 36 3/4 lengths.