Amberglen Notches First Stakes Win in Lake George

When Stonestreet Stables purchased Amberglen (IRE) for just over $430,000 from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2024, the hope was that she could develop into a special racehorse. Two years later, consider that promise fulfilled. Racing in the $225,000 Lake George Stakes (G3T) Aug. 1 at Saratoga Race Course, the daughter of Night of Thunder (IRE) out of Sea Empress (IRE) delivered, scoring a 1 1/4-length victory over a late-rallying Deep Learning in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. The Brad Cox-trained Amberglen was always well positioned under Irad Ortiz Jr., pursuing Candy Moonshine through early fractions of :23.79, :48.70, and 1:13.21. Kicking clear of the field at the head of the stretch, her lead gradually diminished through the lane, though she never appeared in danger of being caught. She was timed in 1:42.33 over a firm turf course, paying $5.32 to win as the favorite, with bettors keen to back her after she exited a fast first-level allowance win June 19 at Churchill Downs. "She was traveling beautiful every step of the way," Ortiz said. "They were coming, but she kicked and she stayed on." Honfleur ran third, giving trainer Chad Brown the 2-3 finishers. The Lake George marked Amberglen's first win at the stakes level in her second attempt in such company. Earlier, she had been fourth in the Wait a While Stakes last November at Gulfstream Park—the only time in her five-race career in which she did not finish either first or second.