Lane Way Update

Lane Way exited his fifth-place effort in Saturday's G3 Green Flash Handicap in good order. He was a little tired this morning which was not unexpected given a 7-month layoff. Our son of Into Mischief earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his effort. 

\Trainer Richard Mandella will decide when our veteran will return to the track giving him as much time as he needs. He will remain training at Del Mar for the short term before shipping back to Santa Anita sometime next week. [Photo taken in July 2023]

Lane Way Race Review and Video

Lane Way was fifth in his return to the races yesterday in the G3 Green Flash Handicap under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith. 

Our gelding broke well but was bumped shortly out of the gate, causing him to lose his position early. He settled toward the rear of the field and gradually picked up foes before being forced to go very wide into the turn. 

Lane Way plugged away in the stretch and gained position, but was unable to quicken with the top three and was only beaten a half-length for fourth, just 2-1/4 lengths behind the winner. 

Mike Smith reported he was "blowing" at the end of the race and definitely a little tired when he returned to get unsaddled but nothing unexpected off of a seven month layoff. He should improve in his second start off of the layoff and will probably gain some fitness from this effort. 

We’ll look for a hill option giving him more distance at Santa Anita in October.

Here's the race on YouTube:

Seize The Grey has been Nominated to the Iroquois S.

Seize The Grey has been nominated to the  42nd running of the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs on September 16, 2023. The Iroquois is a Grade 3 stakes and the distance is 1 mile on dirt. Nomination does not guarantee he will be entered. The Iroquois is a bonus qualifyier for the Breeders Cup Juvenile on November 3rd and carries points for the 2024 Kentucky Derby. 

RESULTS: GREEN FLASH HANDICAP

 Lane Way's race wasn't what we were hoping for. 

He had a bad break and troubled trip running 5th in a 12 horse field, and although he was closing strongly at the end he ran out of real estate that might have nabbed him a 1st or 2nd. At the wire, he was only 2-1/2 lengths behind the winner. 

We knew he's better at 6-6.5f but coming off an 8 month layoff and with a shot at a Breeders Cup Turf Sprint berth, the Green Flash was well worth a shot. 

This effort should set him up well for his next race, if all goes well. In spite of his trip, he ran a 96 E-figure. That's 10 points slower than his last two 106 E-figures in December and January. 

I'll report back when we have an official debriefing from the trainer/jockey. [Photo from a previous race.]

CHART

Overview of Green Flash H.

We're sharing the overview of the Green Flash here on our blog for interested fans of Lane Way. Hope you can tune in today at Del Mar. R#9 6:39 PM Mountain time. 

Here's the recap for the partners: 

In a salty edition of the G3 Green Flash H., our veteran Lane Way makes his return to the races following seven months off. Lane Way was last seen when he dominated in the Clocker’s Corner S. over the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. While your gelding was the runner-up in the 2022 Green Flash, he has returned to training so well that trainer Richard Mandella was strongly considering bringing him back in the $1-million G2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs. It would have been a bold return spot, but speaks volumes of how well he was doing. The added distance at Kentucky Downs of six furlongs was also a major contributing factor. With the risk of not getting into the body of the field at Kentucky Downs and having to bypass the Green Flash in order to even find out, we opted to take the safe route and run out of our own stall.

Nonetheless, we know our son of Into Mischief is tactical enough to handle the five-furlong distance he will get on Saturday, but it does limit the opportunities for adversity. We also know Lane Way can handle a layoff, earning two career-best Beyer Speed Figures, in addition to setting the track record back in October of 2021 following a nine-month break. He then went straight to the sidelines and fired big over the Green Flash conditions last summer in a second-level allowance where he was only beaten half of a length.

The pace should be red-hot early with speedsters #1 Fast Buck, #2 Kid Corleone, #7 Noble Reflection and #11 Bus Buzz signed on. This dynamic should only benefit our gelding and Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith knows him best, finishing in the top two in five tries on him. Smith and Mandella are both having a successful meet individually and together. They look to team up for their biggest day together with three graded stake entrants: Sumter (Del Mar Mile), Lane Way and Geaux Rocket Ride (Pacific Classic.)

Lane Way is 5/1 on the morning-line. Enjoy the video above as he galloped on the track showing plenty of enthusiasm this morning. Good luck to all owners!

Main Threats:

#2 Kid Corleone (10/1): Interesting newcomer to the turf sprint division ran huge in the G1 Bing Crosby earlier in the meet. Did not run poorly in his debut on the turf but quickly found a home on the dirt. Stablemate Anarchist, who was second in Bing Crosby, returned to win the G2 Pat O’Brien which is where you would have thought this colt would have run back. The barn is hot and not afraid to take shots like this.

#5 Beer Can Man (6/1): Knows how to get it done at Del Mar. There was some fear that this one may have lost a step when he went to the sideline for over a year but his numbers speak otherwise. Most recently paired career-best Beyer Speed Figures (96). Three for four over this turf course and two for three at the distance on this course. Must respect.

#8 Motorious (4/1): Second to Lane Way in Clocker’s Corner, but followed that performance up with two triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. One-for-one at Del Mar’s five-furlong configuration and should sit a good trip. Interestingly Prat does not choose to ride him back.

Possible September Debut

Still tentative at this time, but a race in mid-September could be a possible for our daughter of English Channel. Stay tuned. 

Lane Way Paddock Schooling

Lane Way was in the paddock schooling yesterday between races at Del Mar. Our veteran was on his toes and looked fantastic ahead of his big comeback in tomorrow’s G3 Green Flash Handicap. The son of Into Mischief will likely school again between the races today and then...all systems are go for Saturday!