Rivalries renewed in Gamely,
Los Angeles
by Kellie Reilly
Although the Memorial Day graded stakes action at Hollywood Park caters to
different demographics — the Grade 1, $250,000 Gamely for turf distaffers and
the Grade 3, $100,000 Los Angeles for speed merchants on the Cushion Track —
both races share a common element. Most of the key contenders will be renewing
rivalries on the federal holiday.
Half of the Gamely field is exiting the April 16 Grade 2 Santa Barbara, led
by the streaking Malibu Pier. Since her late-running third to Cozi Rosie in the
February 21 Grade 2 Buena Vista at a mile, the Carla Gaines filly has made
better use of her tactical speed to win two in a row. Malibu Pier was on the
pace for much of the way in the March 19 Grade 2 Santa Ana, where she held off
the troubled Turning Top by a length.
Always within striking distance next time out in the Santa Barbara, Malibu
Pier got the jump on Cozi Rosie and thwarted her belated charge by a
half-length. The respective third- and fourth-place finishers, Restless Soul and
Turning Top, are likewise joining the fray in the Gamely.
Brice Blanc, who picked up the mount aboard Malibu Pier last time, will be
back in the saddle Monday. Cutting back in trip to 1 1/8 grassy miles, the same
distance as the Santa Ana and a furlong shorter than the Santa Barbara,
shouldn’t faze the tractable runner.
The talented Cozi Rosie, who returned from a layoff to capture the Buena
Vista going away, hopes to have more pace on tap here. The John Sadler pupil
could get the right set-up courtesy of former Brazilian Horse of the Year Celtic
Princess (Brz). Unraced since a front-running allowance score on December 30 at
Santa Anita, the seven-year-old mare has fired a couple of bullets recently for
A.C. Avila.
Turning Top has been a fairly consistent presence for Simon Callaghan, but
she might be put in the shade by her up-and-coming stablemate Dubawi Heights
(GB). The stalker extended her winning skein to three in the April 30 Grade 3
Wilshire, and gets a stiffer class test at this level.
The Ron McAnally-trained Eclair de Lune (Ger) was fifth to Malibu Pier and
Turning Top two starts back in the Santa Ana. That effort sums up her
frustrations at Santa Anita, for she has yet to hit the board in four tries over
the course. Rather than lining up in the Santa Barbara again, she shipped to
Keeneland for the April 16 Grade 2 Jenny Wiley and performed with great credit.
Dead last of 10 after hitting the gate at the start, she closed for fifth at a 1
1/16-mile trip short of her best.
Perhaps fittingly for a Richard L. Duchossois colorbearer, her best efforts
came at Arlington Park last summer. At her owner’s track, Eclair de Lune was a
fine second to the ill-fated Tuscan Evening (Ire), last year’s Gamely winner, in
the Grade 3 Modesty, before posting a mild upset in the Grade 1 Beverly D. She
is likely to use the Gamely as a springboard to Chicago.
Chilean Group 1 winner Madera Castana (Chi) is another who ran admirably in
defeat, albeit versus lesser. Making her U.S. debut in a one-mile
allowance/optional claimer at Hollywood, she dropped 19 lengths back, yet
rallied furiously to miss by three-quarters of a length. Trainer Ruben Cardenas
made a rider switch to Patrick Valenzuela, ensuring a more forwardly-placed trip
in the Gamely.
In the six-furlong Los Angeles, defending champion Cost of Freedom aims to
rebound off two tough beats. The Grade 1 veteran was just outdueled by Amazombie
when third, beaten a neck, in the January 29 Sunshine Millions Sprint. The form
has been flattered since, with Amazombie going on to take the April 3 Grade 2
Potrero Grande and the April 23 Tiznow, and Sunshine Millions runner-up
Apriority filling that same spot in the Grade 1 Carter and Grade 2 Churchill
Downs.
Cost of Freedom didn’t return until the May 7 Cool Frenchy Stakes at
Hollywood. After setting his usual torrid fractions, the Sadler charge was worn
down late by another Grade 1 winner, M One Rifle, in a track-record :55 4/5 for
five furlongs. M One Rifle was moving forward off a fourth to Amazombie in his
comeback in the Potrero Grande, the form lines again intersecting.
Supreme Summit had left Cost of Freedom and Gato Go Win behind when runner-up
in last fall’s Grade 1 Ancient Title, and he followed up with a closing fourth
in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Third to Regally Ready and Camp Victory in
his turf bow in the April 16 Grade 3 San Simeon, Supreme Summit has been
scorching up the worktab of late for Mike Puype. The confirmed closer would
enjoy the prospect of a mad pace war in the Los Angeles.
An intriguing new shooter to the sprint division is Indian Firewater, who
barely lasted by a nose while wiring the January 15 Grade 2 San Fernando.
Freshened following tiring fourths in the February 5 Grade 2 Strub and the March
6 Santana Mile, he shortens up for Bob Baffert. In his last appearance on the
Cushion Track, he rolled in the 7 1/2-furlong Nashville Stakes during the autumn
meet.