Phil D'Amato | Horse Racing Free Tips

Streaking Charmaine’s Mia Bidding For First Grade 1 In Gamely

Phil D'Amato's streaking Charmaine's Mia, in search of her fourth consecutive graded stakes win, heads a field of nine fillies and mares 3 and up in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. To be contested at 1 1/8 miles on turf, the Gamely, originally held at Hollywood Park, will be run for the 58th time on Monday.

One of three Grade 1 stakes, the Gamely could be the best betting race on a nine-race Memorial Day program, which kicks off with first post time at 1 p.m. PT.

The Richard Baltas-trained Going to Vegas and Brendan Walsh's French-bred La Signare lend considerable depth to the Gamely, which was won last year by Jonathan Wong's longshot Keeper Ofthe Stars, who will also suit up for this year's renewal.

A 2 ½-length winner of the G3, six-furlong turf Las Cienegas Stakes in her first start for D'Amato three races back on Jan. 9, Charmaine's Mia stretched out to victories going a mile on grass in both the G2 Buena Vista Stakes Feb. 20 and Royal Heroine on April 3. Off as the 3-5 favorite in the Royal Heroine, Charmaine's Mia was in complete gate to wire control, winning by a half length.

A 5-year-old mare by top sprinter The Factor, Charmaine's Mia, who had been based at Woodbine Race Course prior to joining D'Amato's stable late last year, had only been around two turns once prior to winning the Buena Vista in what was her 26th career start.

Owned by Agave Racing Stable, Medallion Racing and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Charmaine's Mia, who will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Flavien Prat, has earned three consecutive Beyer Speed Figures of 99, an overall mark of 28-7-4-2 and earnings of $472,976.

Ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli and a runaway 3 ¾-length winner of the G3 Santa Ana Stakes at a mile and one quarter on grass March 27, Going to Vegas appears to be in the best form of her career for Baltas and owners Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse.

With Rispoli set to ride her back, Going to Vegas, a 4-year-old filly by Goldencents, was claimed for $50,000 nine starts back, seeks her second stakes victory in the Gamely. With an overall mark of 18-4-8-2, she has earnings of $283,751.

Third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths over a yielding turf in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland April 10, 6-year-old La Signare seeks her first graded stakes win since taking a G3 at 1 1/8 miles on grass at Belmont Park on June 7, 2018. Often close but a winner of just one out of 13 starts since then, La Signare appears to be a dedicated deep closer that would certainly benefit from a lively pace. Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Tim and Anna Cambron and Bradley Thoroughbreds, La Signare, who will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, is 17-3-2-4 overall with earnings of $345,576.

GRADE 1 GAMELY STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 9 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

La Signare—Mike Smith—122
Charmaine's Mia—Flavien Prat—124
Raymundos Secret—Mario Gutierrez—124
Going to Vegas—Umberto Rispoli—122
Red Lark—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
Keeper Ofthe Stars—Abel Cedillo—122
Maxim Rate—Juan Hernandez—124
Stela Star—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
Bodhicitta—Trevor McCarthy—124

First post time for a nine-race card on Monday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Smooth Like Strait Likely Favorite In Monday’s ‘Win And You’re In’ Shoemaker Mile

Cannon Thoroughbreds' consistent Smooth Like Strait heads a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile, one of three Grade 1 stakes on a nine-race Memorial Day program at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

A Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier, the nominated winner of the Shoemaker Mile will be entitled to an automatic entry to the 2021 Breeders' Cup Mile Turf, to be run at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Smooth Like Strait, a four-time graded stakes winner on turf, will face stiff competition, headed perhaps by Phil D'Amato's Say the Word, who was supplemented at a cost of $6,000.

A 4-year-old colt by Midnight Lute, Smooth Like Strait comes off a pair of neck defeats—a third place finish in the G1 Turf Classic at 1 1/8 miles on May 1 at Churchill Downs and in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita on March 6.

A three-quarter length winner of the G2 Mathis Brothers Mile three starts back on Dec. 26, Smooth Like Strait, dating back to his 2 ½-length win in the G2 La Jolla Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 9, has been favored in six of his last seven starts, all graded stakes, and he's won three of them.

With regular rider Umberto Rispoli back aboard, Smooth Like Strait, who earned a best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 100 in the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs, is 14-6-3-2 overall with earnings of $753,823.

An impressive 1 ½-length winner of the G2 Elkhorn Stakes going 1 1/2 miles over a soft turf at Keeneland April 17, Say the Word was second, beaten three quarters of a length two starts back going the same distance here in the G3 San Luis Rey Stakes on March 20.

A 6-year-old Ontario/Canadian-bred gelding by More Than Ready, Say the Word, who will be cutting back to a flat mile for the first time since Sept. 1, 2019, will be making his fifth start for D'Amato on Monday. With Flavien Prat engaged, he's well-spotted for owners Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm.

A G1 winner in his final start at Woodbine Race Course on Oct. 18, Say the Word brings an overall mark of 29-6-3-5 and earnings of $609,292 to Monday's Shoe Mile.

GRADE 1 SHOEMAKER MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS

IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Next Shares—Trevor McCarthy—122
Smooth Like Strait—Umberto Rispoli—124
Crossfirehurricane—Mario Gutierrez—122
Restrainedvengeance—Tyler Baze—122
Raymundos Secret—Juan Hernandez—124
Whisper Not—Geovanni Franco—122
Say the Word—Flavien Prat—124

First post time for a nine-race card on Monday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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‘Blossoming Before Our Eyes’: Irish-Bred Going Global Crushes Honeymoon Rivals

In one of the most impressive performances of the entire 64-day meeting, trainer Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Going Global split horses turning for home and rocketed to a 4 ¾-length win in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Going Global got 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.37 and registered her fourth consecutive North American stakes win.

Taken in-hand out of the gate, Going Global had two horses beat while fifth, about eight lengths off pacesetter Pizzazz heading into the clubouse turn. Fifth in a field of seven sophomore fillies, about four lengths off the lead while under restraint mid-way around the far turn, Prat angled out turning for home, shooting a gap between Pizzazz and longshot Midnight Diva.

From there, Going Global ran like a wild horse to the wire in a performance that could well have national implications.

“I think that she's a filly that is just blossoming before our eyes right now,” said D'Amato, the meet's leading trainer with 41 wins and co-leader, along with Baffert in stakes wins with 14. “Each performance, I thought was better than the next and this one I thought, was many lengths better than the last. It's just exciting to have a filly like this going into Del Mar and hopefully, the sky's the limit.

“For a 3-year-old filly at this time of the year, she's probably the best filly I've ever had. I've had a lot of good Grade 1-winning mares, but this early on in their career, I'd say she's definitely the best 3-year-old filly.”

A winner of three turf stakes dating back to her U.S. debut, the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes on Feb. 14, Going Global came off a hard-fought neck win in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at the Honeymoon distance and was 4-5 favorite Saturday afternoon, returning $3.60, $2.40 and $2.20.

“We had a good pace and she relaxed very well,” said Prat, who's been aboard in all of her local starts. “We were able to save ground and when she found that hole, she was very impressive. She has a great turn of foot and yes, that was a pretty good race for her, her best race so far.”

Owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Going Global is now unbeaten in four stateside starts and has five wins from eight overall races. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $248,792.

Last to the quarter pole, Golden, who was ridden by Umberto Rispoli, rallied three-wide into the stretch and out-finished Midnight Diva by a half length for second. Off at 5-1, Golden paid $4.60 and $3.60.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, Midnight Diva was an attentive third early and stayed in game fashion late to run third by 2 ¼ lengths over Quattroelle. Off at 29-1, Midnight Diva paid $7.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.89, 45.66, 1:09.79 and 1:34.59.

Racing resumes on Sunday with first post time for a nine-race card at 1 p.m.

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Pyfer Getting Her Mounts Out Of The Gate And Into Winner’s Circle

Jessica Pyfer set what is believed to be a record in California last Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia by becoming the first female apprentice rider to win four races in one day.

The 23-year-old Denver native won the second race on Rakasasah, the third on Joe Don Looney, the seventh aboard Lofty and the ninth on Sweet Devil.

The step-daughter of leading trainer Phil D'Amato, Pyfer has 31 victories, good for sixth in Santa Anita's jockey standings.

“We're excited, but we never thought it could be a record for apprentices,” said her agent, Brandon O'Bryan.

“We were happy with winning four,” added O'Bryan, a third-generation agent, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, George, and his father, Craig, who represents Juan Hernandez.

“It always helps to have the support of the leading trainer in your corner,” Brandon said, “but Jessica is well-liked and very talented. I think her best trait is getting horses out of the gate.”

And getting them to the wire first, too.

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