Head to Head: Opinions differ about Gamely at Santa Anita
The Grade 1, $300,000 Gamely Stakes attracted nine competitive older fillies and mares, and seven are likely to start Monday’s race at Santa Anita.
Three Gamely winners have contested the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf since 2017. Keeperofthestars and Lady Eli each placed second, and Lady Eli earned the Eclipse Award as champion turf mare.
The Gamely, contested over 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita’s turf course, kicks off three graded events on the Memorial Day card. It is scheduled as race 7 on Monday with a post time of 7:08 p.m. EDT.
The entrants are shown with their morning-line odds.
| Laurie Ross | Ashley Tamulonis |
| 1. Lady Claypoole (10-1) | |
| Five-year-old Lady Claypoole is in the best form of her career, having reeled off three straight this year and missing by a nose last December. Trainer Richard Baltas gradually extended the distance from one to 1 1/4 miles, and Lady Claypoole flourished. After besting Grade 3 types, the Gamely is the next logical step. Lady Claypoole’s Brisnet figures have risen in each start this year, and both late pace figures at 1 1/8 miles are competitive with this group. Exotics. | Trained by Richard Baltas, Lady Claypoole is riding a three race win streak and is undefeated in 2025. She started by winning two optional claimers and then most recently won the Santa Ana (G3). The optional claimers were both contested at 1 1/8 mile while the Santa Ana (G3) was 1 1/4 mile, meaning she’ll be cutting back in distance. Prior to this year, Lady Claypoole had just one career win, so she’s beginning to blossom as a 5-year-old. Baltas is 19% wins with a 56% in-the-money clip in graded stakes over the past year per Race Lens. Tiago Josue Pereira, who just began riding this mare this year, has the return call. Exotics. |
| 2. Alpha Bella (6-1) out | |
| Cross-entered in the Santa Margarita (G2) on Sunday. | |
| 3. Khinjani (15-1) | |
| Khinjani has made a career of troubled trips that have followed her across the pond to California. In her first three starts in the U.S. she hit the gate, was off slow and had a troubled trip. To her credit the Mark Glatt trainee finished in the money in that trio of races. Most recently, she steadied and went wide around the first turn in an optional claimer, which put her four wide for much of the race. However, around the far turn, Hector Berrios took Khinjani to the rail to save ground, where they faced a logjam. About a furlong from home, Khinjani angled between rivals and flew home, nailing second place, beaten by three-quarters of a length. There’s no doubt that with a better trip, she may have won. Khinjani is a multiple winner at 1 1/4 miles over good to soft turf, which could be her preferred surface. Exotics. | Trained by Mark Glatt, Khinjani is making her second start off an extended layoff. After being purchased from European interests, she made two starts in 2024 for her new connections. One was an optional-claiming victory. The other was a third in the Santa Ana (G3). Glatt shelved her for a bit due to a lengthy campaign, and she remained sidelined for longer than intended due to a few minor hiccups. She made her first start off that 14 1/2-month layoff May 9, running a close second in the optional claimer Laurie discussed. The mile distance of that race was a bit short for the mare, so she has a good chance to improve with the added distance and second off the layoff. Glatt is 53% wins with an 80% in-the-money clip with runners second off an extended layoff over the last year. Hector Isaac Berrios has the return call. Contender. |
| 4. Public Assembly (8-1) | |
| Public Assembly joined her former stablemate Liguria in California and is living the good life. After putting away rivals in a 1 1/4-mile, optional-claiming event, Public Assembly did the same in the one-mile Royal Heroine (G3), where she recorded a 94 Brisnet Speed Rating, a nine-point jump from her previous rating. The Phil D’Amato trainee posted two pre-race strong five-furlong moves and has tactical speed. Contender. | Trained by Phil D’Amato, Public Assembly is a lightly raced 4-year-old filly. She debuted in November 2023 and then did not reappear until July 2024. She raced three times as a 3-year-old, going 3: 1-1-0. She was laid off again for five months and during that time she was transferred from Chad Brown to D’Amato. She made her first start for D’Amato in March, winning an optional claimer contested at 1 1/4 miles. She followed that up with a victory in the one mile Royal Heroine (G3), posting a career best 104 Equibase Speed Figure. Antonio Fresu has the return call. Contender. |
| 5. No Show Sammy Jo (7-2) | |
| Like her rival, Be Your Best, No Show Sammy Jo may not have handled the good going in the Jenny Wiley (G1) in her first start off the layoff. She captured four straight from one to 1 1/8 miles and just missed the head bob by a nose in the 1 3/8-mile Long Island (G3) to Be Your Best. Now the pair meet again, but unlike her rival, No Show Sammy Jo recorded a trio of four- and five-furlong moves, so she should be fit. The Graham Motion trainee’s speed ratings and late-pace figures are some of the best in the Gamely field. She’s shown tactical speed in previous starts and should she take to Santa Anita’s turf. Contender. | Trained by Graham Motion, No Show Sammy Jo enters off a seventh place finish in the Jenny Wiley (G1). It was her first start off a five-month layoff, and she was only beaten for it all by four lengths. In her only prior attempt in graded company, she missed the victory by a nose to Be Your Best in the Long Island (G3). Motion is 13% wins with a 43% in-the-money clip with runners second off the layoff and is 12% wins with a 42% in-the-money rate in graded stakes over the past year. Flavien Prat has the call. Exotics. |
| 6. Expensive Queen (5-1) | |
| After an indifferent career in Great Britain, Expensive Queen joined Brendan Walsh’s barn and rewarded her connections with an explosive move down the stretch to grab the victory by a neck in a 1 1/16-mile allowance contest at Keeneland. The 4-year-old faces three firsts. Shipping to Santa Anita, trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time in her career, and facing graded winners. Expensive Queen’s full sister Antonia De Vega is a multiple Group 3 winning turf router from seven furlongs to 1 1/2 miles, and Expensive Queen’s one-run style should help. That said, I’m taking a pass due to her unknown class against proven rivals. | Trained by Brendan Walsh, Expensive Queen will be making her second U.S. start. She made her stateside debut in April at Keeneland, winning a high level, 1 1/16-mile allowance race by a neck. It was her first start off a 5 1/2 month layoff. Walsh is 13% wins with a 40% in-the-money rate with runners second off the layoff and 11% wins with a 38% in-the-money clip in graded stakes over the last year. Walsh also does not typically ship out west, having sent just 14 trainees to 14 starts at Santa Anita over the last five years with a 7% win and 43% in-the-money rate. Kazushi Kimura has the call. Pass. |
| 7. Liguria (9-2) | |
| Now based on the West Coast in Michael McCarthy’s barn, Liguria became accustomed to Santa Anita’s lawn in the Megahertz (G3) and Buena Vista (G2), both at a mile. The one-run closer’s late speed figures are in the 90s, and her thrilling rally up the rail in the Buena Vista and her pedigree suggests she’ll handle 1 1/8 miles. Liguria’s full sister Avenge captured back-to-back editions of the 1 1/4 mile Rodeo Drive, and she was third in the 2017 Gamely behind the sensational Lady Eli. Although Liguria finished off the board in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) over good ground last October while in Chad Brown’s barn, she had a wide trip against some of the best turf routers in the U.S. While her Gamely rivals are no slouches, most aren’t on the same level. The knock is that the race may not suit her closing style. Exotics. | Trained by Michael McCarthy, Liguria enters off a head victory in the one mile Buena Vista (G2). It was her second start for McCarthy. She was trained by Chad Brown and resurfaced with McCarthy following a 15 1/2-month layoff. In her first start for McCarthy, she finished third in the Megahertz (G3), beaten by just three lengths. McCarthy is 25% wins with a 65% in-the-money rate with trainees making their third start off the layoff. The 1 1/8-mile distance may be just outside her wheelhouse, but Liguria could certainly bring home a minor placing. Exotics. |
| 8. Be Your Best (4-1) | |
| Like No Show Sammy Jo Be Your Best showed brief speed before fading in the Jenny Wiley (G1) in her first start off the layoff. Saffie Joseph Jr. takes another shot over Santa Anita’s turf despite Be Your Best’s 0-for-4 record there. The primary concern with Be Your Best is her lack of recorded breezes. She had one in April and two in May, all at three furlongs. However, Be Your Best may wind up as lone speed if her forwardly placed rivals run in the Santa Margarita. If this is the case, consider her a contender. | Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Be Your Best enters off a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Jenny Wiley (G1). She was on a three-race win streak prior to that, including winning the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2). Be Your Best is 4: 0-2-0 at the 1 1/8-mile distance and is 4: 0-1-0 at Santa Anita. Joseph rarely ships to the West Coast. In the last five years he is 7: 1-0-2 on the California circuit with five starts coming in Breeders’ Cup events. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return call. Contender. |
| 9. Where’s My Ring (10-1) out | |
| Cross-entered in the Santa Margarita (G2) on Sunday. | |
Final thoughts
Laurie: Over the last 12 years Gamely heroines historically have gained ground and finished in the top three in their previous start. The Jenny Willey (G1) and Royal Heroine (G3) stakes are key preps. Most Gamely winners were making their second or third start off the layoff.
Surprisingly, speed doesn’t hold in the Gamely. No pacesetters have won in 12 years, yet six pressers were successful, and the rest closed. View favorites with suspicion. The last to win was in 2019, and only three have won in a dozen years. Four placed second or third.
Post 1 is a disadvantage. Four fillies breaking from the rail finished second or third, but none won during this time period.
Public Assembly fits the profile of the historical Gamely winner. She easily won the Royal Heroine Stakes, has tactical speed and is looking for her third victory off the layoff.
Be Your Best looks like lone speed. This multiple graded winner either didn’t handle the surface or tired in her first start off the layoff. She’ll be dangerous, and if Irad Ortiz Jr. doesn’t go too fast on the lead, which he tends to do, she could lead them on a merry chase.
No Show Sammy Jo didn’t care for the surface in the Jenny Wiley. Toss that race, and we have a pace presser who won almost five straight. Her only loss since last November was to Be Your Best by a nose in the Long Island (G3). She gets another shot to run down that filly.
Lady Claypoole hopes to make it four straight, almost five since she missed by a nose in December. She’s fired two bullets and should be ready to roll. The drawback is she’s breaking from the rail.
Ashley: What a far cry from the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) field. I struggled to put together a ticket for that race, because I just didn’t like most of the field. I’m having the opposite problem here, though, because I like almost every filly and mare in this race.
My comments concerning Be Your Best aren’t exactly encouraging from a numbers standpoint. However, the mare gets a massive advantage in being the lone speed of the field. I am trusting Irad Ortiz Jr. to cool his jets and get her to the front and relaxed early so that she can dictate her own terms.
Lady Claypoole is in career form and has a bullet five-furlong work leading into this race. Her last three races have been at Santa Anita, and she’s failed to hit the board only once in 1 1/8-mile races.
I really like Khinjani. She ran a huge race off a significant layoff last out and only can move forward from there. With the added distance and a cleaner trip than she got last out, she is a huge threat to win. The only concern here is that the course may be too firm for her liking.
Rounding out my ticket is Public Assembly. She has taken to Santa Anita like a duck to water, and with a victory at 1 1/4 miles under her girth, the Gamely distance will be no problem.
It’s tough leaving Liguria and No Show Sammy Jo out. However, the four I have selected carry more upside than these two.
Selections
Laurie Ross | Ashley Tamulonis |
| 4. Public Assembly | 8. Be Your Best |
| 8. Be Your Best | 3. Khinjani |
| 5. No Show Sammy Jo | 1. Lady Claypoole |
| 1. Lady Claypoole | 4. Public Assembly |
Laurie Ross is the author at Pedigree Power, and Ashley Tamulonis writes for Coast To Coast.