Miss Serendipity Ready for Gamely

Whether it’s a sign of confidence or not remains to be seen, but owner Matias Cavalieri is in town from South America to see his Miss Serendipity run in Monday’s Memorial Day feature, the Grade I Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

“She’s doing really well,” said Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally, who hopes the 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare will record her first victory in the United States. She was fourth in her first two races, third in the Grade III Santa Ana Stakes on March 16, and second by a neck in the mile-and-a-quarter Santa Barbara Handicap on April 13.

“She’s probably as good as she’s ever been,” McAnally said of the daughter of Not For Sale. “I know it’s not an easy race, but when you run in a Grade I, it never is easy. There are several horses in there that look good, but I hope we get the breaks and she comes back well.”

Miss Serendipity led into the stretch in the Santa Barbara. McAnally hopes the shorter distance of the Gamely will benefit her.

“She can get a mile and an eighth OK,” McAnally said. “It depends on the pace and the way the race is run.”

The field for the Gamely, race seven of nine: Customer Base, Mike Smith, 8-1; Emotional Kitten, Victor Espinoza, 7-2; Stormy Lucy, Joe Talamo, 7-2; Changethechannel, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Premier Steps, Gary Stevens, 12-1; Miss Serendipity, Brice Blanc, 5-1; Parranda, Corey Nakatani, 7-2; Emollient, Rosie Napravnik, 3-1; and Rhagori, Kent Desormeaux, 15-1.

MONDAY’S GAMELY HONORS CHAMPION MARE FROM THE SIXTIES

The Grade I Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the turf highlights Monday’s Memorial Day program at Santa Anita. Jon White, Santa Anita's oddsmaker who also provides commentary from the paddock for the track's simulcast network, notes that the Gamely is named after one of the top female Thoroughbreds to ever race in the United States.

By Bold Ruler, Gamely was 41-16-9-6 lifetime, with earnings of $574,961.

“Gamely’s maiden win came here at Santa Anita early in 1967 when she was a 3-year-old,” White said. “She would go on to win both the Test and Alabama at Saratoga that year.

She was voted America’s champion 3-year-old filly of 1967. She was also voted champion older mare in 1968 and 1969.

“Gamely, like Secretariat, was by Bold Ruler. One of Gamely’s finest achievements was when she won the 1968 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park under 131 pounds. At that time, it was the most weight ever carried to victory by a filly or mare in a stakes race in California. Years later, in 1976 at Santa Anita, Tizna won the San Gorgonio Handicap while packing 132 pounds. Gamely did win a race under 132 pounds at Saratoga.

“The great Racing Form writer, Charles Hatton, described Gamely as a ‘mare of capital size and substance.’ I have a copy of Dr. Manuel Gilman’s actual sheet showing Gamely’s conformation measurements taken on Aug. 25, 1968. During Dr. Gilman’s long tenure as the chief examining veterinarian for the New York Racing Association, he measured many of the greatest horses of all time. He measured such greats as Kelso, Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Ruffian.

“According to Dr. Gilman’s measurements, Gamely was 16 hands, two inches tall on Oct. 25, 1968. Gamely girthed 74 inches, was a broad 27 inches across the hips and measured 41 inches from hip to hock. When Dr. Gilman measured Secretariat in October as a 3-year-old, Secretariat’s height was 16 hands, 1 ½ inches. Secretariat girthed 76 inches, was 26 inches across the hips and measured 40 inches from hip to hock. You know, I sure can’t help but wish Dr. Gilman was still around today so that he could measure California Chrome. But unfortunately Dr. Gilman died in 2011.

“Even though Gamely did not win the 1968 Californian at Hollywood Park, a lot of people still remember how well she ran that day. She finished second to Dr. Fager, who later was voted 1968 Horse of the Year.”

Owned by William Haggin Perry, Gamely was trained by James Maloney and was ridden by the following top jocks from yesteryear: Eddie Belmonte (5), Walter Blum, (3), Howard Grant, (1), Wayne Harris, (13), Jerry Lambert, (2), Laffit Pincay, Jr., (3), Bill Shoemaker, (8), Jorge Velasquez (2) and Manuel Ycaza, (4).