SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Malathaat found her championship form of 2021 on Saturday at Saratoga and put herself back in the conversation for a second straight Eclipse Award with a half-length victory over Search Results in the Grade 1, $600,000 Personal Ensign Stakes. Malathaat, last year’s 3-year-old champion filly, rebounded from two straight losses to Clairiere with a ground-saving trip under John Velazquez. Malathaat tipped out at the head of the lane and ran down Search Results in the 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign in a repeat of their one-two finish in the 2021 Kentucky Oaks. It was two lengths back to Letruska, the reigning older dirt female champion, in third. Crazy Beautiful was fourth, followed by 8-5 favorite Clairiere, who never got involved after charging the gate twice before the race started. :: DRF's Saratoga headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more For Malathaat, the victory was her eighth in 12 career starts and fourth in a Grade 1 stakes, her first this year. More importantly, the win validated trainer Todd Pletcher’s assessment that Malathaat wasn’t herself in the Grade 2 Shuvee Stakes here on July 24, when she was beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Clairiere. Pletcher said Malathaat was irritated in the paddock that day and listless warming up on the track. Pletcher deduced that was due, at least in part, to the heat that day. “She was very quiet [Saturday], which she normally is, but last time it was different,” Pletcher said. “She was irritated, she was shaking her head and just doing some things that she never does. We were happy to see the weather a little bit cooler, and she was all class in the paddock and post parade like she normally is.” Malathaat, under John Velazquez, was fourth into the clubhouse turn and then third and saving ground down the backside, while Letruska set the pace, stalked by Search Results. Meanwhile, Clairiere, who beat Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps and the Shuvee, was in the back of the pack, behind Crazy Beautiful. Letruska, under Jose Ortiz, was a 1 1/2 lengths clear after six furlongs in 1:11.74 before Flavien Prat aboard Search Results made a move at Letruska. Search Results overtook Letruska inside the three-sixteenths pole, but Malathaat, moved into the four path by Velazquez for the stretch drive, was able to wear down Search Results in the final yards. “As soon as I pulled her out at the three-sixteenths pole, I knew I had her,” Velazquez said. “She got to her so quick and I was there a little too soon and she waited a little bit. It was very nice to see her back. We know she’s this caliber and she showed it today.” Malathaat, a daughter of Curlin owned by Shadwell Stable, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.30 and returned $8.40 as the fourth choice in the field of five. She was given a 105 Beyer Speed Figure. “We love this filly so much in the barn we just want everyone to appreciate how good she is and just see her run to her capabilities,” Pletcher said. “That’s what we were focused on.” Despite the narrow defeat, trainer Chad Brown was pleased with the performance of Search Results. “I thought we could use Letruska as a work horse, knowing that we’d go by her - I was pretty confident about that - and knowing it was going to be either Malathaat or Clairiere coming late,” Brown said. “Flavien rode her absolutely perfect and Malathaat was just a little better today.” :: Visit the Saratoga Handicapping Store for Past Performances, Clocker Reports, Picks, Betting Strategies and more. Clairiere charged the gate twice before the start of the race and appeared to hit her head at least once. Clairiere was last soon after the start and never really got involved. She was beaten 9 1/2 lengths. “She was a little nervous in the gate,” jockey Joel Rosario said. “She wanted to go forward a couple of times. She broke okay, and as soon as we started hitting that first turn I tried going forward, but it was a little hard for her to go forward.”