Gabby is golden in Santa Monica

Gabby’s Golden Gal would not be denied in the Santa Monica (Benoit Photos) Arnold Zetcher’s homebred GABBY’S GOLDEN GAL (Medaglia d’Oro) closely attended the early pace in Sunday’s $250,000 Santa Monica H. (G1) at Santa Anita and put in a good rally down the middle of the track to score a 1 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Pro-Ride feature. The Bob Baffert trainee was making her second start off a near six-month break in the Santa Monica, and stopped the clock in 1:21 1/5 under jockey Martin Garcia. Gabby’s Golden Gal raced just behind and to the outside of Czechers (Indian Charlie) and Free Flying Soul (Quiet American), who were duking it out through splits of :23 1/5 and :46 1/5. Free Flying Soul finally grabbed the advantage, posting three-quarters in 1:09 3/5, but Gabby’s Golden Gal was just gearing up. Sweeping past the pacesetter, Gabby’s Golden Gal had enough to hold the late rush of Proviso (GB) (Dansili [GB]). Sent off the 11-1 sixth pick in the 11-horse field, Gabby’s Golden Gal returned $25.20, $10.80 and $6.80 to her faithful backers. Proviso, making her return off a fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1), was 1 1/4 lengths clear of Free Flying Soul to take second as the 2-1 favorite. She paid $4 and $3 while show gave back $3.60 at 7-2. The $1 exotics were worth $49 (exacta), $264.70 (trifecta) and $2,301.80 (11-7-6-9 superfecta).

Czechers followed in fourth while Gilded Gem (Smarty Jones), Made for Magic
(Cape Canaveral), Evita Argentina (Candy Ride [Arg]), Cherryblossommiss
(Langfuhr), Captain’s Lover (SAf) (Captain Al), Diamondrella (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar
[Ire]) and Sweet August Moon (Malibu Moon) completed the order under the wire.
Tuscan Evening (Ire) (Oasis Dream [GB]) was an early scratch.

Gabby’s Golden Gal began her career with Ron McAnally, running third in a
Hollywood Park maiden as a juvenile, but was transferred to Baffert and
immediately stepped up in her three-year-old debut to break her maiden by two
lengths at Santa Anita. The dark bay lass finished second against allowance
rivals next out, then found herself on target for the Kentucky Oaks (G1)
following a dominating 13-length victory in the Sunland Park Oaks.

Setting the early pace in the Kentucky Oaks, Gabby’s Golden Gal wound up
sixth behind eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro). She
returned to form to add the Acorn S. (G1) to her career line, but finished out
the summer with a ninth in the Prioress S. (G1) at Belmont Park on July 4. Not
seen in competition again until December 26, Gabby’s Golden Gal returned to
finish seventh in the La Brea S. (G1) back at Santa Anita. The Santa Monica
score improved the newly turned four-year-old’s record to 9-4-1-1, and she’s
banked $499,405 in lifetime earnings.

The Kentucky-bred is out of Gabriellina Giof (GB) (Ashkalani), winner of
the 2001 Manhattan Beach S. and second in that same year’s San Clemente H. (G2).
Thus, Gabby’s Golden Gal is a half-sister to Oak Leaf S. (G1) runner-up Always a
Princess (Leroidesanimaux [Brz]), who was only 1 3/4 lengths back in fifth in
the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) to close out 2009. Gabriellina Giof has
also produced an unnamed juvenile half-brother by Lemon Drop Kid and an unnamed
yearling half-sister by Johannesburg. This is the same family as Italian Group 3
winner Retrousse (Naskra).