Gamely Stakes (Grade 1)

Shoemaker Mile (Grade 1)

THERE were two Grade 1 turf races on the Santa Anita card on Monday.

The five-year-old mare Be Your Best put up the most eye-catching performance as she rebounded off a disappointing eighth-place finish on softer ground in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland last month to win the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes over nine furlongs, never looking in danger.

She had won the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park earlier and here, Irad Ortiz sent her on here off a decent pace. She whizzed around the final bend and had enough in hand to hold off another Irish-bred in Lady Claypoole by two and three-quarter lengths in a time that registered the best since champion Lady Eli’s win in 2017.

Under the right conditions, the Saffie Joseph-trained daughter of Muhaarar looks set for more Grade 1 success.

The Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile went to the British-bred King Of Gosford, the son of Zoustar trained by Phil D’Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat. He had a neck to spare over Mi Hermano Ramon, with Frankie Dettori and Cabo Spirit third. Favourite Formidable Man who had beaten the winner when first and second in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby could only finish fourth this time.

The winner had begun his career in Ireland, making his debut at the Curragh behind City Of Troy and winning a Dundalk maiden for Andy Oliver.

Skippylongstocking

Saffie Joseph trained his second big win of the evening in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup when six-year-old Skippylongstocking landed another big prize, taking his earnings to well over $3 million despite never having won a Grade 1.

Often a front runner, Skippylongstocking was tackling a longer 10 furlongs in the Gold Cup and Ortiz let the 4/5 favourite settle in the middle of the seven-horse field. They came around the leaders to take over at the top of the stretch, looking likely to coast home but Midnight Mammoth refused to give up. Skippylongstocking and Midnight Mammoth battled throughout the stretch, the former getting the better of it by three-quarters of a length.

The Saturday feature race was for fillies, the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes and it saw Seismic Beauty (Uncle Mo) beat stable companion the odds-on Splendora by five lengths for Bob Baffert and owners MyRacehorse & Peter Leidel.

Churchill Downs

There was a notable performance by a filly when Two Sharp overcame a long absence and some decent rivals to win the six furlongs Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes. She was quick away from the gate and cruised to a three and a half-length triumph for Junior Alvarado.

“She’s Grade 1 talent. That’s the goal, to get that accomplished,” her trainer Phil Bauer was quoted by BloodHorse. “She’s a horse that you rarely come by. We’re going to savour these moments and cross our fingers that we have plenty more with her.” The four-year-old folly is by Twirling Candy.

THREE-time US Grade 1 winner Carl Spackler is set to appear in the Queen Anne Stakes at this year’s Royal Ascot line-up after he was purchased by Yulong Investments and will be sent to be trained in Australia.

The five-year-old son of Lope De Vega progressed to being one of the top turf milers in the US and secured his third success at the highest level with an impressive display in the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes at Keeneland last month when trained by Chad Brown.

Victories

Carl Spackler will now carry the green and white silks of Zhang Yuesheng, whose best horses to date have included Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega and Irish Oaks heroine Magical Lagoon in Ireland, and the Australian-based mare Via Sistina, who has won eight Group 1s since she was bought by the owner in March 2024.