La Mehana leads the G3 Long Island
At 0h26, on November 10, 2024 • By Aqueduct
LSU Stables’ La Mehana looks for back-to-back local graded stakes wins in Sunday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Long Island, an 11-furlong inner turf test for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Christophe Clement, the 5-year-old Al Wukair bay rallied from nine lengths back in last-of-6 to win the Grade 3 Waya last-out on October 4 over Sunday’s course and distance. There, La Mehana slipped up the rail under returning rider Kendrick Carmouche to beat returning rival Immensitude by a neck in a final time of 2:17.64.
“It was a very good effort last time. She came from off the pace – the instructions were to be close to the pace and if he ends up on the lead to dictate it. The filly broke OK but then he put her last and she made one run and actually ran really good,” said Clement’s Belmont Park-based assistant Christophe Lorieul. “It was a dream trip too, coming up the rail – a very good effort.”
La Mehana [post 5, Kendrick Carmouche, 125 pounds] was making her fourth stateside effort, adding to thirds at the Grade 3 level in Gulfstream Park’s 12-furlong Orchid in March and the local 11-furlong Sheepshead Bay in May. Her recent win and the pair of thirds – which she traveled last early in both – all received 90 Beyer Speed Figures.
La Mehana’s best Beyer was a 93 before the Waya when fifth after stumbling at the start of the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial in July at Delaware Park.
