Lake Placid J

AMERICAN GRADED STAKES
PREVIEWS

A field of nine three-year-old fillies, including one main-track only runner,
has been entered for Friday’s $150,000 Lake Placid S. (G2) at Saratoga, and the
1 1/8-mile turf test is likely to come up less than firm with thunderstorms
forecast to hit the area. KEERTANA (Johar) captured the Regret S. (G3) over
good turf at Churchill Downs in mid-June, and she’s our pick to come out on top
in this affair no matter the going.

Trained by Tom Proctor, the dark bay lass brings a three-race win skein into
the Lake Placid. She passed her first-level allowance condition in May at
Churchill, then added a neck victory in the nine-furlong Regret to her record
two back. Keertana earned a career-best 97 BRIS Speed rating last out when
scoring in the Indiana Downs Distaff S., and has been working well over
Saratoga’s turf of late. Jose Lezcano will take up the reins aboard the
three-year-old miss, who could make it four in a row in this spot.

SHARED ACCOUNT (Pleasantly Perfect) made her turf debut two back in the
Perfect Sting S. on yielding ground, and immediately showed her preference for
the surface switch with a third-place finish. The Graham Motion charge
encountered soft turf in the Virginia Oaks (G3) most recently, and responded
with a game second, just missing the win by a head. The more give in the ground,
the better this bay lass seems to like it, and she could offer a square price
when the gates open. Having Edgar Prado aboard can only help her chances for the win.

CONSEQUENCE (El Prado [Ire]) will enjoy returning to the turf after running a
distant fourth and last in the Lake George S. (G3), which was moved from
Saratoga’s turf to the sloppy main track. Prior to that outing, though, the
chestnut posted a game half-length win in the American One Thousand Guineas over
Arlington Park’s firm green. The lightly-raced Shug McGaughey runner broke her
maiden on Saratoga’s grass exactly one year plus one day ago, and Consequence
could keep her Spa turf record perfect here. John Velazquez has the call.

MARY’S FOLLIES (More Than Ready) captured the Boiling Springs S. (G3) in her
grass bow two back at Monmouth Park while under the tutelage of trainer John
Forbes. Transferred following that win to Richard Dutrow, the bay was no match
for Be Fair (Exchange Rate) in the Lake George but was easily best of the rest.
She earned a nice 93 BRIS Speed rating for that run, and could show more in this
event, either on or off the turf.

MISS KELLER (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) has yet to finish out of the top four in
her career, but owns just two wins from seven starts. The Roger Attfield trainee
will be making her U.S. debut in this spot, and could jump up to find a spot in
the exotics. MY MAGIC MOMENT (Forest Wildcat), a stakes winner on the turf, has
finished off-the-board only three times and might earn another check under Rajiv
Maragh.

KATARA (Pulpit) finished third in the Virginia Oaks last out, but might not
be fast enough to keep up with these. We’ll take a stand against KIDDARI (Smarty
Jones) in her turf debut.

CASANOVA MOVE (Langfuhr) will only run if the race is moved to the main
track, but will be tough to deny if that eventuality occurs.