Canoodling, Neige Blanche Will Try To Upset Going Global In Monday’s Gamely – Horse Racing News

Neige Blanche, ridden by Juan Hernandez, winning the Santa Barbara for second consecutive year

Unbeaten on the Santa Anita turf, Phil D’Amato’s Irish-bred Going Global heads a field of eight fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles in Monday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Gamely Stakes on the Memorial Day program at the Arcadia, Calif., track.

Although well beaten on a wet-fast main track in the Grade 1 American Oaks Dec. 26, Going Global bounced back with a command performance in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at one mile on turf April 9, as she pressed the pace and went on to an impressive 1 ¾-length win at odds of 1-5 under Umberto Rispoli.

A winner of seven out of her nine stateside starts after arriving from Ireland, Going Global is unbeaten in three tries at the Gamely distance and will be reunited Flavien Prat, who although he has relocated to New York, is back at Santa Anita on Monday.  In eight Southern California starts, seven of them in graded stakes, Prat and Going Global found the winner’s circle on six occasions, dating back to her U.S. debut in the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 14, 2021.

A winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks four starts back on Aug. 21, Going Global is unbeaten in five Santa Anita turf starts while being favored in seven of her nine races with D’Amato.  Owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, 4-year-old Going Global is 13-8-1-0 overall with earnings of $769,292.

Ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, the Mike Puype-trained Canoodling was thoroughly dominant in a 1 ¾-length, gate to wire win going a mile on grass in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes May 1, her second graded stakes victory of the meet.

A front-running upset winner of the Grade 3 Megahertz going a mile on turf three starts back on Jan. 29, Canoodling was beaten three lengths when a troubled fifth two starts back in the Grade 2 Buena Vista, also at one mile on grass.

A 4-year-old filly by Pioneerof the Nile out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Miz Kella, Canoodling is owned by B4 Farms, LLC and will be trying 1 1/8 miles for the first time while ridden back by Hernandez.  With an overall mark of 16-8-1-2, she has earnings of $342,023.

A close second in her last two starts, most recently the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, Going to Vegas has a tremendous resume that includes a head win four starts back in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive here on Oct. 2.  Formerly trained by Richard Baltas, she’ll make her first start for D’Amato and be ridden for the first time by eastern-based Irad Ortiz, Jr.

Two for three at 1 1/8 miles on turf, Going to Vegas has demonstrated the ability to be on or near the lead or to rally from off the pace.  Owned by Abbondanza Racing, LLC, Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse, she’s got three graded stakes wins to her credit and has five wins and as many second from 13 starts on the Santa Anita lawn.  With an overall mark of 25-7-10-2 overall, Going to Vegas has earnings of $699,151.

Trainer Leonard Powell’s long-fused French-bred Neige Blanche, a winner of three of her last four races—all at marathon distances on turf, wheels back quickly off a 1 ¼-length win going 1 1/2 miles on turf in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara on May 14.

A Group 3 winner at age 3 in France, Neige Blanche has posted five wins from 12 North American starts for Powell and owners Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsha Naify and Mathilde Powell.  A close fourth in her lone try at the Gamely distance when beaten 2 ½ lengths in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 20, 2022, Neige Blanche is 18-8-0-4 overall with earnings of $480,280.

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

Race 10 of 10   Approximate post time 5:30 p.m. PT

Going to Vegas—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—124
Canoodling—Juan Hernandez—122
Ocean Road—Umberto Rispoli—122
Thrumps Dream—Joe Bravo—122
Eddie’s New Dream—Mario Gutierrez—122
Going Global—Flavien Prat—124
Neige Blanche—Edwin Maldonado—122
England’s Rose—Abel Cedillo—122

First post time for a 10-race card on Monday is 1 p.m.  Providing there is no Single Ticket winner in the 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot leading into Monday, it is expected Monday’s Rainbow 6 pool, with a mandatory payout, could reach $5 million.

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