Samitar holds on in Garden City

In the early going, Karlovy Vary took charge and got away with slow fractions

of :24 4/5, :49 3/5 and 1:13 4/5 on the firm inner turf. Ciao Bella kept close

tabs in second, Open Water skimmed the rail in third, and Samitar was well

placed to her outside in fourth.

Ciao Bella was the first to accost a weakening Karlovy Vary at the top of the

stretch, and the well-bred gray put her head in front. But Samitar was just

rallying into contention under a patient Dominguez.

Quickening stylishly when asked, the favorite asserted herself. Then the

long-striding Somali Lemonade emerged as a threat. Samitar rose to the occasion,

though, and repelled her upset-minded rival in the final yards.

Samitar negotiated 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 3/5 and returned $3.70, $2.70 and

$2.20.

"The plan (was to sit off the pace); that's what I was instructed to do,"

Dominguez said. "There was a little concern in me because I didn't see any pace

on paper. I knew there was the potential -- especially going a mile and an

eighth -- that it was going to be a paceless race. But, everything worked out

really well. My filly settled beautiful and she got a great set-up right behind

the two leaders. I really had first run at them, so it worked out great."

"This filly, Ramon rode her perfect," Brown said. "She had been training

great and blended into our program nicely. She came to me in good shape to begin

with.

"I was happy to see her get 1 1/8 miles. That was my one reservation,

watching her train and in her races. She has the quality to do it, but I needed

to see it, and I saw it today, which is great. On the stretch out to 1 1/8

miles, she (naturally) put herself (closer to the pace). Ramon rode a terrific

race, and that was the difference."

Jockey Joel Rosario was pleased with Somali Lemonade, who was 1 3/4 lengths

clear in second.

"She ran great," Rosario said. "(Samitar) was the horse to beat. I thought I

had a very good chance turning for home, but it was too tough to get the winner.

She was gaining, but she probably was second best today. The winner just kept on

going."

Recent Irish import Tannery, unhurried in last for much of the way, finished

with interest to grab third from Ciao Bella. Open Water, Trophy Wife and Karlovy

Vary concluded the order under the wire.

"She was very gutty. She fought for fourth that day, and even in (the Lake

George) Ramon thought she was done and she fought back on."

Owner and trainer are on the same page regarding the next objective.

"The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade 1 at Keeneland on October 13)

makes the most sense," Brown said. "I'll talk with Mr. Schwartz before we commit

to it."    

"All things being equal, we're going to go to the QE II next if Chad says so,

which I'm sure he will," Schwartz said.

Bred by Norman Court Stud in Great Britain, Samitar was first sold for

$64,860 as a Tattersalls October yearling. She is a half-sister to a previous

Albany winner, Nijoom Dubai, both out of the unraced Rainbow Quest mare Aileen's

Gift. With her third dam being Group 2 vixen Optimistic Lass, Samitar comes from

the family of English and French champion filly Golden Opinion.

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