The Gamely Stakes (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
May 30, 2022

Last year, Proud Eights would top a field of seven in The Gamely Stakes. She would be back for more this time around, hoping to become the second horse to win the stake two times. Miz Liz was the one who did before, coming in 2010 and 2011. She wasn’t on her best form, but familiarity can be a good way to bring that back, and Proud Eights would be victorious here in this year’s Gamely as well. The other details surrounding her different, as she is now owned by Mb Stables, and was ridden by Mario Gutierrez. Congratulations to them! This becomes another stake that Mb Stables can cross off his ever shrinking list of races he hasn’t won before, and it’s the second win for Gutierrez. The winning time was 1:45.44, and that is a new stake record! It beats the former record held by, you guessed it, Proud Eights! Let’s take a look!

(½ Mile- :47.10)- Proud Eights does not waste any time getting out to the lead, and the Mb Stables mare is quickly in front by about two lengths. Running down the frontstretch and into the turn, there is no one who challenges her, so she will have that lead moving into the backstretch as well. All By Myself, from TwinTowersRacing, runs in the second spot, but she is not by herself, as The American’s Ewa Beach runs right to her inside. Classic Princess (Maxmillion Farm) is a length behind them, and it’s several lengths back to Cp Dark Pain (Threshold).

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.08)- Not much changes down the backstretch as Proud Eights is still holding on to an uncontested lead of about two lengths. All By Myself is second, and is now a full length ahead of Ewa Beach as these two stalk the leader. Classic Princess is next in line, and Cp Dark Pain is having a tough go of it at the back.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Still, it is Proud Eights in the lead, and she is looking very good up front, as if she has done this before. No one is able to get up and challenge her still, and you have to wonder if she has gotten away from them now. Ewa Beach has pulled up alongside All By Myself as the main action on the track. Classic Princess needed to get moving, and Cp Dark Pain is somewhere back there.

(Finish- 1:45.44)- Proud Eights made it look very easy today, as she does not tire out at all, and wins convincingly. Not by as much as her three length win here in 2021, but it was impressive just as much as she sets the new stake record. Ewa Beach ends up second best as All By Myself tires out. Classic Princess was a distant fourth, and reportedly, Cp Dark Pain finished the race at some point.

About The Winner- Proud Eights, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by Mario Gutierrez, is a six year old mare by Eight Eights and is out of Proud To Watch. She was bred in Kentucky by First Class Stable as a second quarter two year old, and was acquired by Mb Stables, via Estero Farms, in private sales for $750.000 last September. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her ninth in 32 starts and her seventh stake win, all of which are graded. She is a four time Grade 1 winner and her career earnings are now $2,037.320.

Track: Firm
Time: :47   1:10   1:33¹  1:45²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 2 Paid 6.90
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 2 – 4 Paid 8.50

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES