In order to earn that trip to the winner’s circle Dynaforce will have to face a quality field of older fillies and mares, including Hostess, who handed superstar Mauralakana her only loss this season. The Glen Falls is a 1 3/8-mile inner turf contest. Post time is 4:48 p.m. EDT, a little more than an hour prior to the Hopeful (gr. I).
Owned by Dr. John Chandler and trained by Bill Mott, Dynaforce made the first seven starts of her career in France while in the barn of Andre Fabre. She won three times over there, but was off the board in both group stakes efforts. The 5-year-old daughter of Dynaformer made her American debut June 21 at Belmont in the New York Stakes (gr. IIT), where she fell just a neck short of Mauralakana. Hostess was just a half-length back in third.
In the July 26 Diana Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga, Dynaforce took a lead into the final furlong and looked to be the winner in deep stretch, but was caught in the final strides by Forever Together. She ran a 103 Beyer Speed Figure in that narrow loss.
Kent Desormeaux will get the return mount on Dynaforce, who is out of the Diesis mare Aletta Maria.
William Clifton Jr.’s Hostess has been very good in her last three starts, which have resulted in a win and two third-place finishes. The win came in the March 30 Orchid Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park, where she skimmed the hedge and out-finished Mauralakana for the upset. The 5-year-old Chester House mare subsequently fell 3 1/2 lengths short of Mauaralakana in the May 24 Sheepshead Bay Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont before narrowly missing in the New York.
Trained by H. James Bond, Hostess should be coming from off the pace under Rajiv Maragh. She will carry top weight of 119 pounds, one more than Dynaforce.
Helen Groves’ Tejida must also be considered, as the daughter of Rahy finished fourth, just 1 3/4 lengths back in the New York. The Michael Matz trainee has been in the money in all three graded stakes efforts this season, including a neck defeat to Mauralakana in the Very One Handicap (gr. IIIT) March 8. Hostess was a well-beaten seventh in that race.
One other contender to look for is George Stawbridge Jr.’s Pennsylvania homebred Palmilla, who enters off a convincing victory in the Robert Dick Memorial Handicap (gr. IIIT) July 12 at Delaware Park. A 5-year-old Crowd Pleaser mare trained by Jonathan Sheppard, she has produced a 4-3-1 record from 13 lifetime starts. Edgar Prado gets the call.
$100,000 Glen Falls Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:48 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 3/8 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Tejida (KY), 116, Robby Albarado
2. Jade Queen (KY), 115, John Velazquez
3. Dynaforce (KY), 118, Kent Desormeaux
4. Hostess (KY), 119, Rajiv Maragh
5. Lamaentation (GB), 115, Channing Hill
6. Palmilla (PA), 117, Edgar Prado
7. Dyna's Lassie (KY), 16, Eibar Coa
