SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The heavy rain and winds that swept through the area early Tuesday evening may have been a concern for some, but not trainer Carlos David, whose My Shea D Lady benefitted from the inclement weather that forced Wednesday’s $150,000 Statue of Liberty Stakes at Saratoga to be switched from the turf to the main track. My Shea D Lady rallied to a 1 3/4-length victory over the pacesetting Sohana in the race for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies. My Shea D Lady, fifth making her turf debut in the Cupecoy’s Joy Stakes five weeks earlier, came into the one-mile Statue of Liberty as the only stakes winner in a field that was reduced from 12 to six starters due to the surface change. The field ultimately dropped to just five runners moments before post time when Cap Ferrat was taken out of the race on the advice of the track veterinarian. With regular rider Javier Castellano aboard, My Shea D Lady chased the pace of 3-5 Sohana from the outset. She moved to within easy striking distance of the leader leaving the turn, wandered out briefly to the center of the track upon settling into the stretch, and then quickly recovered to readily overtake the tiring favorite approaching the furlong grounds and win going away. :: Gain a competitive edge at Saratoga with DRF's premier handicapping data — purchase our meet packages today and bet with confidence. Sohana, who finished just a half-length in front of My Shea D Lady when also making her grass debut in the Cupecoy’s Joy, had quickly sprinted clear, opened a seemingly comfortable advantage after five furlongs, but proved no match for the winner. It was another seven lengths back to Baroness Bourbon, who finished a distant third. My Shea D Lady, a daughter of Solomini owned by the Shea D Boys Stable, paid $6.40 as the second choice after completing the distance over a fast track in 1:38.27. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports “I really did want to try her around two turns to see if she can handle it on turf,” David said. “The first time she went six furlongs [on the turf], she did it well, she didn’t run bad, it was a little short. With a little more distance, I thought she’d be able to relax and come back. But when it rained, I really was hoping the race would come off [the turf] because I think she probably handles the one turn better.” David said he was a little concerned when seeing his filly start to drift in early stretch.  “Sometimes she tends to do that and we’ve thought about trying the blinkers again, although I don’t think she likes that,” David said. “So I asked [Castellano], and he said he just did that on purpose. He was trying to get her out there where he thought the track was better. That’s why I give it up to Javi. He’s done great for her.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.