“There are some very nice fillies in Canada, but she’s done everything we’ve asked of her, so we’re going to give her a shot. I think she’s earned it.”
Tony Alagna gives Authorize a nod of approval. A two-year-old filly pacer, Authorize is preparing for her She’s A Great Lady elimination race Saturday at Mohawk Racetrack after capturing the New Jersey Sire Stakes championship last week at Meadowlands Racetrack.
It was Authorize’s fourth consecutive victory and featured a :25.4 final quarter-mile that enabled her to go from fourth to first in the stretch. The even-money favourite, Authorize won by a half-length over Sweetheart Pace champion Jerseylicious in 1:52.3 with regular driver Brian Sears at the lines.
“They had the wind at their backs, but she still really dug in late for the win,” said Alagna, who trains Authorize for breeders/owners Brittany Farms and the Brian Monieson Revtrust. “The way she raced, we thought we would give her a shot in the She’s A Great Lady elim.”
For the year, Authorize has won four of seven starts and earned $108,010. She is a daughter of stallion Western Ideal and the first foal out of the mare CPA, who is a half-sister to millionaire Artiscape.
“Her granddam is Delinquent Account, one of our favorite mares of all time,” said Myron Bell, racing manager for Brittany Farms. “Brian Sears and Tony Alagna have done a fantastic job with her. She’s getting better and better and hopefully she’ll perform well on Saturday. She’s going in the right direction.”
Authorize’s progress is not a complete surprise, but Alagna admitted to being uncertain of her potential as she trained during the winter.
“She was never too exciting training down; she did everything right, but never real flashy,” Alagna said. “She never did anything wrong, so there was no reason to think she couldn’t do it, but she was just a workhorse all winter. The more we race her, the better she gets. She’s really come into herself in her last few starts.”
Authorize will start from post one in the second of two seven-filly She’s A Great Lady eliminations on Saturday. Her elim includes L Dees Lioness, Parlee Beach, Somwherovrarainbow, Beach Of A Time, Macharoundtheclock and Mattie Terror Girl.
L Dees Lioness won a division of the Eternal Camnation Stakes last Saturday at Mohawk, where she handed Parlee Beach her only loss in four starts. Somwherovrarainbow, a daughter of Horse of the Year honorees Somebeachsomewhere and Rainbow Blue, was third in the same race.
The other elim features Miss Lauren, Jerseylicious, Victoria Semalu, Belle Boyd, I Luv The Nitelife, Cult Status, and Nikki Beach. I Luv The Nitelife won an Eternal Camnation division, with Macharoundtheclock second. Nikki Beach was second to Jerseylicious in the Sweetheart.
The top five finishers from each elim advance to the $610,000 final on September 1 at Mohawk. To view the entries for Saturday night's card of harness racing, click one of the following links:
Saturday Entries - Mohawk Racetrack
Saturday Program - Mohawk Racetrack
(with files from HRC)