La Mehana rolls by stakes-record margin in Glens Falls

The late horseman Christophe Clement won the Glens Falls (G2) four times during his distinguished career, and son Miguel added his name to the trainers’ honor roll in a strikingly memorable fashion at Saratoga on Sunday. 

Not only did he send out the exacta, but his victorious La Mehana bolted up by a stakes-record margin of 8 3/4 lengths over favored stablemate Bellezza. The prior record of seven lengths had stood since Auntie Mame dominated the 1998 running. 

While Auntie Mame ran up the score on a firm course, La Mehana’s advantage was magnified by yielding ground. The French import, sourced by Christophe himself for about $430,000 at the 2023 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, skipped over the rain-softened going that did not suit her rivals as well. 

Indeed, the $250,000 Glens Falls was the only Saratoga race that remained on the turf Sunday. The others originally scheduled for the grass were transferred to the main track.

LSU Stables’ La Mehana went off as the 5-2 second choice, with bettors marginally preferring Bellezza at 17-10. Irish-bred Bellezza brought the lightly-raced upside angle, but she had been a well-beaten third in the June 6 New York (G1) in similar conditions. If La Mehana appeared more exposed, she has had more than her share of tough luck, too, and the classy mare showed what she can do in favorable circumstances here. 

“Without a doubt, it hindered Bellezza’s chances,” Clement said of the rain. “I thought she was a little bit unlucky in the New York because of the going. Nevertheless, La Mehana ran very well in France - she's a very efficient mover, very light on her feet. With her pedigree and her running style, it was a great advantage for us.”

Reuniting with Flavien Prat, who just guided her to an Aqueduct allowance score on June 27, La Mehana was well placed in a ground-saving third from her rail post. Pacesetting Long Ago hoped to get away as the controlling speed, but Clement’s third runner, longshot Sacaya, kept her honest through opening fractions of :24.04 and :48.77.

Long Ago was able to slow the tempo in 1:13.99 and 1:39.02. When La Mehana challenged on the final turn, Long Ago tried to counterpunch into the homestretch. Her early exertions likely told, though, as Long Ago could not maintain her lead.

La Mehana, charting a wider path down the lane, drew off in isolation. She finished 1 1/2 miles on the inner turf in 2:30.54 and returned $7.

“The ground was actually quite soft,” Prat said of the course, which was officially labeled yielding. “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.”

“It was perfect,” Clement summed up. “Flavien is riding very well, and the two French connections put it together!”

Bellezza bravely made a move into contention, but she could trudge on at just the one pace on the ground. The Moyglare Stud homebred wound up second by 3 1/4 lengths from Long Ago. No Show Sammy Jo raced fairly evenly in fifth, trailed by Lady Firefoot and the eased duo of Dazzlin’ Dictator and Sacaya. Immensitude was scratched along with the main-track-only Bernietakescharge.

La Mehana’s second graded victory, and her sixth overall stakes laurel, improved her record to 24-9-1-6, $641,922.

When trained by Jean-Claude Rouget in France, the daughter of Al Wukair was a promising young stayer who beat males in the 2022 Prix Michael Houyvet at Deauville. As a four-year-old in 2023, she captured the Prix Pawneese and Prix des Tourelles, and her grand finale at home was a third-place performance in the Prix de Royallieu (G1) over Arc weekend.

“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.”

Randy Sarf of LSU Stables vividly remembered the purchase.

“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.”

La Mehana has added three trophies stateside – the 2024 Waya (G3) and Via Borghese S. prior to the Glens Falls – but has tended to collect more minor awards. Her placings include the 2024 Sheepshead Bay (G3), the Jan. 25 La Prevoyante (G3), the March 1 The Very One (G3), and the March 29 Orchid (G3), where she was third for the second straight year.

“Even though she won the Via Borghese (Dec. 26 at Gulfstream Park), she was very unlucky in her next three starts in Florida,” Clement noted. “Tough luck, but she always ran well, and she always showed up. 

“She's a six-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 their top form as a six-year-old.

“I think the Flower Bowl (G2) will be strongly considered next,” the trainer added of the Aug. 30 “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). “It's not often you win graded stakes like that, by open lengths. So, it's very rewarding for the whole team.”

La Mehana was bred by Haras du Mezeray when it still belonged to the de Moussac family, who were themselves supporters of Christophe Clement. The bay is a half-sister to German highweight juvenile filly Ocean Fantasy. 

Their dam, the Dansili mare Oceanie, is herself a half to French highweight sophomore stayer Watar, from the further family of 1996 Grand Prix de Paris (G1) hero Grape Tree Road. La Mehana’s fourth dam, Guillotina, landed the 1972 Prix de Royallieu.