Lake George a Good Spot for Quite a Bride

(from Saratoga report)
Quite a Bride, winner of all four of her starts on the grass for trainer Bill Mott, is the likely favorite for Friday's $100,000 Lake George (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga Race Course.

Haras Santa Maria de Araras' Quite a Bride got a little bit of a break when trainer Patrick Biancone announced that Lady of Venice, who probably would have been favored in the Lake George, will run against older fillies and mares in the $500,000 Diana (gr. I) Saturday.

Quite a Bride continues to take steps forward, Mott said. In her first two starts on grass, she set quick fractions and was still able to power away from the field. She has managed to slow things down a bit on the front end in her last two tries and remains just as effective.

"She's run pretty well so far," Mott said of the Stormy Atlantic   filly. "By nature, she's anxious. She's still learning. She's shown she can relax better now and that's a big plus for her. I don't think being too fast is ever a problem. Being too rank is a problem."

Quite a Bride is undefeated on grass, but did lose her first two starts on dirt last fall and winter.

Biancone will go with Dream With Me Stable's Pyramid Love, a filly who will be making her first start in this country. Pyramid Love won two of three starts in France last fall. Apprentice jockey Julien Leparoux, fresh off a riding title at Churchill Downs, will ride Pyramid Love in the Lake George sans a weight allowance.

Magnificent Song, an Unbridled's Song filly trained by Todd Pletcher, was second behind Lady of Venice in the Regret (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs June 17.

Pletcher also sends out Somethinaboutbetty, a Forestry filly who has finished second in two minor stakes starts on grass.

$100,000 Lake George Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:47 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Christmas Stocking (MD), 120, Mike E. Smith
2. Southern Protocol (KY), 116, Javier Castellano
3. Somethinaboutbetty (MD), 116, John R. Velazquez
4. Pyramid Love (KY), 116, Julien R. Leparoux
5. Moya (KY), 116, Edgar S. Prado
6. Quite a Bride (FL), 122, Cornelio H. Velasquez
7. Magnificent Song (KY), 120, Garrett K. Gomez
8. Diamond Spirit (VA), 116, Rafael Bejarano