(Edited NYRA release)
Sagamore Farm’s Shared Account gamely held off a determined Keertana under a light rain to win the 26th running of the $150,000 Lake Placid Stakes (gr. IIT) (VIDEO) at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 21.
After stalking longshot Kiddari to the quarter pole, Shared Account moved to the front under jockey Edgar Prado and beat Keertana to the line by a length, running the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:54.62 on a turf course rated soft. As the 2.45-to-1 favorite, Shared Account paid $6.90 to win.
"This is the kind of filly we thought we had this winter," trainer Graham Motion said. "We always thought she was this good. I think she’s a really special filly, but she’s a little one-paced… (She needs) a mile and an eighth, a mile and a quarter."
Shared Account ran the first five races of her career on dirt but has blossomed on grass. In her first try, she finished third behind Dame Ellen in a listed stake in June at Belmont Park and followed with a strong run in the grade III Virginia Oaks last month, losing to Blind Date by a head at Colonial Downs.
In the Lake Placid, Shared Account pressed the pace of Kiddari through a moderate half-mile in 50.47 seconds and six furlongs in 1:15.97. Prado had already become acquainted with her ability in the Virginia Oaks and knew what he had beneath him.
"She ran well at Colonial Downs last time, and today she broke well and was in second all the way around," he said. "When I asked her, she gave me a big kick. (The turf course) was a little deeper at the end, but she was handling everything so well, so I was happy with that."
Keertana, trained by Tom Proctor and ridden by Jose Lezcano, rated on the outside in fifth place in the field of seven and then cut loose four wide in the stretch.
"She might have switched over to the left lead, which might have cost her a little, but take nothing away from the winner," Proctor said.
Katara, who placed third in the Virginia Oaks for trainer Michael Matz, finished in that position again in the Lake Placid. She was followed by Miss Keller, My Magic Moment, Consequence and Kiddari.
With the victory, Shared Account now has won four of eight lifetime starts with earnings of $190,560.
Asked about pointing Shared Account to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Motion said, "That would be adventurous," but he did not discount a start next in a grade I race.
"Off this today, sure," he said. "One thing about this filly is she hasn’t run on a firm turf course yet. It will be interesting to see her on firm ground or even Polytrack."
A daughter of Pleasantly Perfect bred in Kentucky by William Carl, Shared Account cost $170,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale.