La Mehana strode home a powerful winner of the GII Glens Falls Stakes–the lone race left on the lawn on a rainy day at Saratoga Sunday. The 5-2 shot was well held while settling just off the pace of Long Ago, who took the field through fractions of :24.04, :48.77, and 1:13.99. Favored Bellezza spurted up into contention along the rail heading into the far turn for the final time, but had nowhere to go as La Mehana rolled up to challenge the pacesetter into the stretch. Long Ago scampered clear in upper stretch, but La Mehana was finding her best stride down the center of the course and took over with a sixteenth to run before storming clear to an effortless 8 3/4-length victory. Finally in the clear, Bellezza overtook the pacesetter late to grab second behind the long-gone winner.
“The ground was actually quite soft,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “She was handling it well. She jumped well out of there and I was able to get a good position into the first turn. Always on the bridle the whole way. I didn't want to move too soon, but in the meantime, everybody was kind of falling apart in front of me and it was time to go. She made a good run.”
Group 1-placed in her native France, La Mehana won last year's GIII Waya Stakes and Via Borghese Stakes, while hitting the board in four of six 2024 outings. She opened 2025 with three straight third-place efforts in graded stakes company in marathon turf races at Gulfstream Park: the Jan. 25 GIII La Prevoyante Stakes; Mar. 1 GIII The Very One Stakes; and the Mar. 29 GIII Orchid Stakes. She was fourth behind Bellezza in the May 2 GIII Sheepshead Bay Stakes in her final outing for the late trainer Christophe Clement and returned to win a 1 3/8-mile optional claimer at Aqueduct June 27 for Miguel Clement.
“Even though she won the Via Borghese, she was very unlucky in her next three starts in Florida,” Clement said. “Tough luck, but she always ran well, and she always showed up. She's a 6-year-old, but her last two races might be her best two races to date. Maybe she's like French wine where she's getting better with age, but it's rare to have a horse hitting the top form as a 6-year-old.”
Winning owner Randy Sarf of LSU Stables credited the entire Clement team with the victory.
“She's a great horse,” Sarf said. “When Christophe bought her for us at the end of 2023, he told us, 'This is a special horse and you're going to do really good with her.' We've had lots of fun with her. This is our third win with her. She comes [in] third sometimes–she's a great horse; she tries hard all the time. She had a perfect trip today. Flavien did a great job. The Clement team did a great job and we're winning. On to the Flower Bowl next.”
Also from the Clement barn, beaten favorite Bellezza was coming off a third-place effort over a similarly yielding Saratoga turf course in the June 6 GI New York Stakes. The trainer admitted the 4-year-old may have been compromised both days by the soft going.
“Without a doubt, it hindered Bellezza's chances,” Clement said. “I thought she was a little bit unlucky in the New York because of the going. It's great–Grade II black-type for that filly. She's just a 4-year-old, but she's improving her performances. She might be better on firmer turf.”
Randy Sarf welcomes La Mehana back to winner's circle | Sarah Andrew
Pedigree Notes:
Oceanie, also the dam of German champion Ocean Fantasy (Fr) (Make Believe {GB}), has a 2-year-old colt by Zarak (Fr) who sold for 130,000gns at the 2024 Tattersalls November sale, and she produced a filly by Night of Thunder (Ire) this year. The mare is a half-sister to French group winner Watar (Ire) (Marju {Ire}). She sold for €75,000 at the 2023 Arqana December sale, the same auction at which Christophe Clement acquired La Mehana for €400,000 just months after the mare finished third in the Sept. 30 G1 Prix de Royallieu.
“Dad secured her in France two years ago at the Deauville sale,” Clement said. “He's been very successful purchasing horses abroad and bringing them back to the States. The stable has done well with them. They have talent, that's the most important part.”
La Mehana is one of two group winners for her sire, Group 1 winner Al Wukair, who has also been represented by German group winner Princess Badee (Fr). The stallion, who began his stud career at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot, relocated to Yeguda La Serreta in Spain for the 2025 season.
It was a one-horse race in the G2 Glen Falls! 🍀
La Mehana wins easy for trainer @clementstable with Flavien Prat aboard! pic.twitter.com/IMjTT0FIxN
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 27, 2025
Sunday, Saratoga
GLENS FALLS S.-GII, $250,000, Saratoga, 7-27, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/2mT, 2:30.54, yl.
1–LA MEHANA (FR), 120, m, 6, by Al Wukair (Ire)
1st Dam: Oceanie (Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Ombrie (GB), by Zafonic
3rd Dam: One Way Street (Ire), by Habitat
(€55,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARDEAY; €400,000 4yo '23 ARQDEN). O-LSU Stables; B-S.A. Haras du Mezeray (FR); T-Miguel Clement; J-Flavien Prat. $137,500. Lifetime Record: MSW & GISP-Fr, 24-9-1-6, $641,922. *1/2 to Ocean Fantasy (Fr) (Make Believe {GB}), Hwt. Filly-Ger, GSW-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Bellezza (Ire), 122, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Terrific (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Moyglare Stud Farm (IRE); T-Miguel Clement. $50,000.
3–Long Ago (GB), 120, m, 5, Roaring Lion–Let It Be Me, by Mizzen Mast. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. (€120,000 RNA 4yo '24 ARQDEC). O-Chris Nolan; B-Let It Be Me Partnership (GB); T-William E. Morey. $30,000.
Margins: 8 3/4, 3 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.50, 1.70, 3.85.
Also Ran: No Show Sammy Jo (GB), Lady Firefoot, Dazzlin' Dictator, Sacaya (Fr). Scratched: Bernietakescharge, Immensitude (Fr).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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