Successful in consecutive Grade II races at Santa Anita,
Malibu Pier returns to the scene of her maiden victory in the $250,000 Gamely
Stakes Monday at Hollywood
Park.
The first Grade I of the Spring/Summer meet, the Gamely,
which is run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, is one of two stakes on the Memorial Day
program. The other is the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap, a Grade III at six
furlongs over Cushion Track.
The Los Angeles
is the eighth of 10 races while the Gamely is the ninth. Post time is 1 p.m.
General admission is free for veterans and active duty personnel – with
military identification. There is also a grab bag giveaway – one per paid
admission while supplies last.
Owned by breeder B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm LLC and
trained by Carla Gaines, Malibu Pier followed her victory in the Santa Ana March 19 with
another in the Santa Barbara Handicap April 16.
A half-length winner in her career debut on the Hollywood Park grass, Malibu Pier, a 4-year-old
Malibu Moon filly out of the Lomitas mare Blue Moon has won five of nine and
earned $342,200.
Brice Blanc, who rode Malibu Pier for the first time in the Santa Barbara, is back
aboard. He is seeking his second Gamely victory, having won with Happyanunoit
for the late trainer Bobby Frankel in 2001.
The beaten favorite in the Santa Barbara, Cozi Rosie is back on the
course where she earned her first stakes win. Owned by breeders Jerry and Ann
Moss and trained by John Sadler, the 4-year-old Pleasantly Perfect filly out of
the Golden Fleece mare Felidia has four wins in 10 attempts and a bankroll of
$277,280. She won the 2010 Senorita in her initial start on the Hollywood Park turf, then was second, beaten by a
head, 29 days later in the Honeymoon Handicap won by Evening Jewel.
Eclair de Lune, who has a Grade I win on her resume, will
try to improve upon a pair of fifth place finishes in her first two outings of
2011. Most recently, she split the field in the Jenny Wiley April 16 over a
yielding turf at Keeneland.
Owned by Richard Duchossois and trained by Ron McAnally,
whose lone Gamely win came with Mea Domina in 2005, Éclair de Lune scored her
biggest success in the Beverly D. last Aug. 21 at Arlington Park.
A 5-year-old German bred daughter of Marchand de Sable and
the Acatenango mare Elegante, Éclair de Lune has won three of 14 and earned
$561,592.
Trainer Simon Callaghan will be represented by Dubawi Heights
and Turning Top, both stakes winners over the Hollywood Park
turf.
Owned by a partnership that includes Neville Callaghan, the
trainer’s father, Clodagh McStay, M.V. Magnier and Annabel Wyatt, Dubawi
Heights has won two in a row, becoming a Grade III winner when taking the
Wilshire Handicap April 30.
An English bred daughter of Dubawi and the Suave Dancer mare
Rosie’s Posy, the 4-year-old has earned $505,196 while winning three of 11.
Turning Top, who captured both the Redondo Beach Stakes and
Beverly Hills Handicap in 2010, will be seeking to end a six race losing streak
in the Gamely.
Owned by Michael Tabor, the 5-year-old Pivotal mare out of
the Cadeaux Generaux mare Pietra Dura is 6-for-21 with earnings of $283,943. In
three starts this year, the best she has done was a second in the Santa Ana when the 19-10
favorite.
Madera Castana will make her second start in this country
after finishing second in an optional claimer May 8. Owned by Green Grass
Stable and trained by Ruben Cardenas, the 4-year-old Indy Dancer filly out of
the Dancing Groom mare Madera Fragante has won two of 12 and earned $75,678.
She won a Group I in her native Chile
last Nov. 6.
Idle since a gate-to-wire win in an optional claimer last
Dec. 30 at Santa Anita, Celtic Princess is another who owns a Group I win in South America. The 7-year-old Brazilian bred daughter of
Public Purse and the Formal Dinner mare Exotic Dinner captured the Brazilian
Derby at Ciudad Jardim Nov. 10, 2007. Owned by Jessica Coudelaria and trained
by A C Avila, Celtic Princess has won five of 13, earning $190,624.
Trainer Neil Drysdale will aim for a fourth Gamely victory
when he sends out Restless Soul. Owned by Matthew Cioros, the 7-year-old
daughter of Singspiel and the Prince
Rupert mare Seasonal Splendor has won three of 30 and
banked $224,911. Drysdale has won this race previously with Hail Hilarious
(1977), Hollywood Wildcat (1994) and Fiji (1998).
From inside out, the field for the Gamely Stakes: Éclair de
Lune, Chantal Sutherland rides, 123 pounds; Cozi Rosie, Mike Smith, 119;
Turning Top, Garrett Gomez, 117; Dubawi Heights, Joel Rosario, 117; Madera
Castana, Patrick Valenzuela, 117; Restless Soul, Joe Talamo, 117; Malibu Pier,
Brice Blanc, 119 and Celtic Princess, Rafael Bejarano, 117.
In the Los Angeles Handicap, Cost of Freedom will seek to
become only the second two time winner in the long history of the event when
the sprint is renewed for the 59th time.
A winner as the 11-10 favorite against six opponents in
2010, Cost of Freedom would join Native Diver (1965 and 1967) as a repeater in
the Los Angeles.
Owned by Gary and Cecil Barber and trained by John Sadler,
who has won the race a record five times, the 8-year-old Cee’s Tizzy gelding
has 11 wins in 23 starts and earnings of $898,693. Seven of those wins and most
of his bankroll have come since he was claimed for $50,000 by his current
connections July 28, 2008 at Del
Mar.
One of Cost of Freedom’s half dozen rivals Monday is M One
Rifle, who defeated him by a half-length in the Cool Frenchy Stakes at five
furlongs May 7.
Owned by a partnership that includes breeders Ed Bernstein, Bryan
Greenspun and trainer Bruce Headley, the 5-year-old One Man Army gelding and
the Bertrando mare Leanessa has won five of 13, earning $471,002. M One Rifle established
a Cushion Track record in the Cool Frenchy, completing the distance in 55.98.
Headley has won the Los Angeles
three times, most recently with Street Boss in 2008.
Fresh off a victory versus California breds in the Tiznow April 23,
Amazombie will try for his fourth win in five 2011 starts for Tom Sanford, who
co-owns the gelding with trainer Bill Spawr.
A son of Northern Afleet
and the In Excess mare Wilshe Amaze, Amazombie has won eight of 18 and earned
$493,708. He is 2-for-2 over Cushion Track, having earned his maiden victory here
Dec. 3, 2009 prior to his 2 ¾ length win in the Tiznow.
Indian Firewater will cut back in distance for his first
start since finishing fourth in the Santana Mile March 6 at Santa Anita. Owned
by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, the 4-year-old Indian Charlie
colt out of the Touch Gold mare Touched has three wins in 16 starts and has
earned $273,932. His only graded victory came in the San Fernando, a Grade II, Jan. 15 at Santa
Anita.
Gato Go Win will be making his first appearance since trailing
in the Palos Verdes Jan. 22 at Santa Anita. Owned by Joey Platts and Jack Sims
and trained by Bob Troeger, the 5-year-old City Place horse and the Odyle mare
Brooks N Boots is 4-for-16 with a bankroll of $220,061.
Supreme Summit
returns to a synthetic surface after finishing third in his turf debut in the
San Simeon Handicap April 16. Owned by Joseph Lacombe Stables Inc. and trained
by Mike Puype, the 5-year-old son of Cactus Ridge and the Sunny Clime mare
Studentoftheweek has won three of 15 and earned $365,100.
Camp
Victory, beaten by a nose
by Regally Ready in the San Simeon, will try for his second win in three starts
since being claimed for $40,000 by trainer Mike Mitchell.
Owned by a partnership, the 4-year-old Forest Camp gelding
out of the Clever Trick mare Victory Trick has won six of 15 while earning
$175,986.
From inside out, the field for the Los Angeles Handicap:
Amazombie, Mike Smith rides, 122 pounds; Indian Firewater, Joel Rosario, 116; M
One Rifle, Chantal Sutherland, 118; Camp Victory, Joe Talamo, 114; Gato Go Win, Garrett Gomez,
115; Supreme Summit, Rafael Bejarano, 117 and Cost of Freedom, Tyler Baze, 122.