Shadwell Stable’s grade II winner Makderah looks to make amends from her third-place finish as the heavy favorite in the Diana Handicap (gr. IT) earlier in the Saratoga meet when she meets eight rivals in the $100,000 Glens Falls Handicap (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares at 11 furlongs Sept. 3.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin believed his filly’s run in the July 28 Diana was compromised. Makderah was beaten by 1 1/4 lengths.
“We ran into a buzz saw that day,” McLaughlin said, referring to the front-running winner My Typhoon. “We thought a `rabbit’ was in there and there’s a lot of pace to entertain My Typhoon. The rabbit didn’t show up, and then we were a little wide. She did gain a little. I looked at the figures and hers came up good for the race.”
Makderah was assigned 119 pounds for the Glens Falls, one less than the top-weighted Safari Queen, an Argentine-bred. Makderah, a 4-year-old Irish homebred daughter of Danehill, was strongly favored at odds of 6-5 in the Diana off her impressive four-length victory in the New York Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park June 23.
Since coming to the United States, Makderah won back-to-back races under allowance conditions and the New York. John Velazquez will be reunited with Makderah for the Glens Falls.
“Johnny is back on her just because he won well with her,” McLaughlin said. “She’s doing great and we’re looking forward for the best.”
Makderah shares the 119-pound weight assignment with the Irish-bred Rosinka, upset winner of the Robert G. Dick Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap at Delaware Park July 14 for trainer Graham Motion. Like the Glens Falls, the Dick is contested at 1 3/8 miles. Rosinka won the nine-furlong Rooney Memorial on the Delaware turf before that.
Jockey Cornelio Velasquez, looking to close out his first Saratoga riding title -- he's five clear of Kent Desormeaux as of Sept. 1 -- is aboard the French-bred Barancella in the Glens Falls. Desormeaux will ride multiple graded stakes winner Safari Queen, victorious in the Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland in April but out of the money when fourth to Rosinka at Delaware.
$100,000 Glens Falls Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:47 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 3/8 Miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Hostess (KY), 114, Edgar S. Prado
2. Mabadi (KY), 116, Eibar Coa
3. Makderah (IRE), 119, John R. Velazquez
4. Pictavia (IRE), 116, Garrett K. Gomez
5. Rosinka (IRE), 119, Jeremy Rose
6. Safari Queen (ARG), 120, Kent J. Desormeaux
7. Mauralakana (FR), 117, Julien R. Leparoux
8. Barancella (FR), 117, Cornelio H. Velasquez
9. Mary Louhana (GB), 114, Jean-Luc Samyn
