Lady Eli records 'A+' move on Oklahoma training turf

Edited Press Release

In company with stablemate Mrs McDougal, undefeated Grade 1 heroine Lady Eli turned in an 'A+' work Saturday morning over the firm turf course at Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track, covering five furlongs in 1:01.13 as she remains on schedule for her return in the $400,000 Ballston Spa Stakes (G2) on August 27.

Clockers caught the four-year-old daughter of Divine Park in opening splits of :24.40 and :37, galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.40 and up in 1:27 under exercise rider Walter Malasquez.

"I'm very pleased with her progress," reported Chad Brown, who trains Lady Eli for Sheep Pond Partners. "She's right on target. She doesn't care for softish ground but she still worked well. An 'A+' work."

Since her return to training in July, Lady Eli has stayed on a Sunday-Monday schedule, but Brown said he wanted to take advantage of Saturday morning's sunny weather.

"I was very happy to work today," he said. "When a weather pattern moves through the area like this, when there's a chance (of rain) every day, when you have a clean strip you should take advantage of it."

Lady Eli was undefeated in six starts in 2014 and 2015, highlighted by victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Santa Anita Park and Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) last July. She was sidelined while recovering from laminitis following the Oaks, and returned to training in February over the dirt at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida before switching to the turf at Belmont Park in July.

Sunday's move was Lady Eli's third at Saratoga in preparation for the 1 1/16-mile Ballston Spa.

Brown, who won last year's Ballston Spa with Dacita, said he also was pleased with the way Mrs McDougal worked, clocking the same distance in the same time as Lady Eli, but did not know where she would start next.

The four-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly won the Lake George Stakes (G2) at the Spa last summer and most recently finished seventh in the Diana Stakes (G1) behind winner Dacita.

Lady Eli photo courtesy of NYRA/Susie Raisher/Adam Coglianese Photography