TORONTO, Canada--Wertheimer et Frere's homebred Alda, trained by Graham Motion, won the $100,000 Catch A Glimpse Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine on Aug. 23, while Alex Campbell's Mean Mary, also trained by Motion, just missed, placing second by a neck in the $500,000 Diana Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 23.

Alda winning at Woodbine (Photo by Michael Burns)"We always thought that she was a nice filly," said Motion of Alda, who finished third in her first maiden race at Belmont on June 12, then easily won a Maiden Special Weight at Belmont on July 9, scoring by 2 1/2 lengths.

"She was a little unlucky in her first race," said Motion. "She was a fast closing third. We ran her back and she won. We've had this race on our radar for a while."

 

"THERE'S A `Win and You're In' race at Woodbine in mid-September," said Motion, referring to a race that gives you an automatic berth in the Breeder''s Cup if you win. "It's a Grade 1. You could say this was a prep race for that."

Alda won the 6 1/2 furlong turf Catch A Glimpse, a listed stakes, by a neck.

Mean Mary, shortening up from victories in stakes at 12, 11 and 10 furlongs, finished second by a head to Rushing Fall in the 1 1/8 mile turf Diana Stakes.

Mean Mary was Motion's eighth second placed horse in the Diana.

"It's been too many times," said Motion of all those seconds. "Mean Mary ran very well. We'll probably take her straight to the Breeder's Cup next."

 

RICKY HENDRIKS had a pair of winners for Debra Kachel, one at Monmouth and one at Delaware Park.

Sandy Lane Kitten won a $42,250, 1 mile turf Allowance race at Delaware on Aug. 22, beating Smile Bryon, trained by Motion, by 1 1/2 lengths.

Although all of Hendriks recent winners on the flat are listed as owned by Kachel, all are actually owned in partnership by Kachel, Hendriks and his mother Wendy, who bought quite a few of them at auction.

The same day, Epic, also owned by Kachel and trained by Hendriks, won a $25,300, 1 1/16 mile turf Claiming race at Monmouth, winning going away by 1 1/2 lengths.

RODNEY JENKINS saddled Hillwood Stable LLC's homebred Bunting to win a $37,450, 6 furlong Allowance race at Laurel.

Leading all the way, Bunting won by 3 1/4 lengths.

JONATHAN SHEPPARD had a homebred winner at Presque Isle on Aug. 19.

Dawlish won a $16,980, 6 furlong Claiming race by 1 1/4 lengths.