Harmonize Seeks Glens Falls Rebound

Looking to rebound off a fourth-place finish behind divisional leader Lady Eli in the July 22 Diana Stakes (G1T), Larkin Armstrong's Harmonize will stretch out an additional quarter-mile, while facing an ultra-strong group of eight competitors Sept. 2 in the $200,000 Glens Falls Stakes (G3T) over the inner turf course at Saratoga Race Course.

Her last victory came in the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) in August 2016. The 4-year-old Scat Daddy filly—bred by Jack Swain III—made her next six starts in grade 1 or grade 2 company, facing top turf fillies such as Lady Eli, Time and Motion, Roca Rojo, Dickinson, and Hawksmoor.

Looking for an easier spot and adding ground in the 1 3/8-mile Glens Falls, Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said he hopes the changes will put Harmonize back to the winner's circle.

"She's been training great coming up to the race," Mott said. "It's a bit of class relief, she's coming out of a very good race and the distance is something new for us, but we're going to try it. She trains like she should be able to handle it."

With another Hall of Famer, jockey John Velazquez, in the irons, Harmonize will depart from post 8.

Swain's homebred Lottie, a 4-year-old Arch filly who finished second in the 12-furlong Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (G3T) for trainer Graham Motion, will try to turn the tables from post 2 with Joel Rosario aboard. Lottie is the first foal out of Swain's homebred Apple Charlotte, a stakes winner and grade 3-placed daughter of Smart Strike.

Slugo Racing's Estrechada, the Waya winner, will look to improve her record to two-for-two at Saratoga from post 6 with Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano aboard. The Argentine-bred mare, by Offlee Wild, has run well in New York after beginning her North American racing career in Southern California with trainer Mike Puype.

New York-bred Summersault, who ran third in the Waya, is entered for trainer Mark Hennig and owners/breeders William Parsons Jr. and David Howe. The 5-year-old daughter of Rock Hard Ten would prefer some give to the ground according to Hennig but is coming into the race in great shape.

"It's been tough coming from behind on the turf, but the surface has gotten more chewed up and she likes it that way, so hopefully she takes to it on Saturday," Hennig said. "We'll play it by ear where she's placed, but she's doing excellent and the distance isn't a concern as she'll run all day."

With Paco Lopez aboard, Summersault will leave from post 3.

Grateful, for trainer Todd Pletcher and brothers Gerald and Ronald Frankel, will make her first graded stakes start following back-to-back wins on the turf at 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 miles, respectively. Joseph Allen's homebred group 3 winner War Flag, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, exits a second-place finish in Monmouth Park's WinStar Matchmaker Stakes (G3T). Sarandia, for trainer Peter Schiergen and owner Gestuet Faehrhof, enters off a sixth-place finish in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington International Racecourse Aug. 12. The field is rounded out by Fig Tree Farm's Sweet Sandy for trainer Danielle Hodsdon, who is 30-1 on the morning line off a sharp closing finish in the $75,000 William M. Backer Stakes.