Lady Eli Returns in Ballston Spa

After the running of the GI Travers S., Saratoga will still have plenty of action left Saturday as undefeated turf star Lady Eli (Divine Park) makes her highly anticipated return to the races in the GII Woodford Reserve Ballston Spa S. A perfect six-for-six, including a victory in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the Chad Brown trainee captured last term's GIII Appalachian S. at Keeneland and Belmont's Wonder Again S. A decisive victress of the GI Belmont Oaks last July, the bay stepped on a nail heading back to the barn, resulting in a serious case of laminitis that left her connections unsure she would ever race again. Lady Eli was just as game in her recovery as she had been on the racetrack, returning to the worktab in early July and now ready to make her return to the track at the Spa.

“It's a big deal,” Brown said. “She's been a long way back and I think she's training outstanding right now. I'm really excited to get her back out there racing again. She is, too. This filly is so competitive. I can just see that she wants to run and I'm letting her run.”

The heavy favorite's biggest competition will come in the form of Grade I winner Miss Temple City (Temple City), who finished second to Lady Eli in the Appalachian. The Graham Motion trainee has really come into her own this year, besting a strong field of males to capture Keeneland's GI Maker's 46 Mile Apr. 15, a performance that earned her a 108 Beyer Speed Figure. A creditable fourth next out in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot June 15, the dark bay was a close fourth last time in this venue's GI Diana S. Juy 23.

The team of Godolphin Racing and Kiaran McLaughlin will be represented here by MGSW Sentiero Italia (Medaglia d'Oro). Fourth to Lady Eli in the Belmont Oaks last term, she captured both this venue's GII Lake Placid S. and Belmont's GII Sands Point S. last fall. Third as the favorite behind Her Emmynency (Successful Appeal) and Miss Temple City in the GI QEII Cup S., she was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf Oct. 31 and made her seasonal debut a winning one in a local optional claimer July 24.

“She came back with a nice win off a long layoff, so we're ready to go,” McLaughlin said. “The issue for everyone else in the race is that Lady Eli will be in the gate. It's good for racing that she's back. We're just hoping to catch her. But we're doing great. [Sentiero Italia]'s probably going to lay close. If there's a rabbit in the race, we'd be laying second, third or fourth and hope we get the jump on Lady Eli.”