Irish group stakes winner Viareggio takes on a well-matched Southern California contingent of turf distaffers in the May 29, 1 1/8-mile Gamely Stakes (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.
Viareggio is an interesting new shooter. After 11 races in Europe, including a victory in the 2022 Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (G3) at The Curragh, she went through the Tattersalls 2022 December Mares Sale, purchased for 375,000 guineas ($470,908) by Fergus Galvin of Hunter Valley Farm. Brendan Walsh subsequently took over her training and she won her United States debut at Keeneland April 21 for a partnership that includes Hunter Valley Farm, Debra O'Connor, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, and Marc Detampel.
Walsh won the 2022 Gamely with another Irish-bred, Ocean Road, owned by Qatar Racing, for whom Galvin is the U.S. racing manager. Umberto Rispoli piloted Ocean Road for Walsh and will ride Viareggio from post 5.
"This filly is a nice filly, too," Walsh said. "She won a (group) 3 in Ireland and came to us during the winter and did really well and won her only start here at Keeneland in an allowance race in the spring meet. We'll take our shot, anyway, see how we go."
Among the other entries, Queen Goddess, Quattroelle, Macadamia, and Closing Remarks have all won graded turf stakes at Santa Anita this season.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Queen Goddess, trained by Michael McCarthy, captured the Dec. 31 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) before shipping to Gulfstream Park and adding a win in the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G3T). She then finished sixth in the April 15 Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland after pressing the early pace.
Luis Saez, who has been riding at Churchill Downs this spring, is in California Monday and has the mount on the 5-year-old Empire Maker mare, who appears to be the race's controlling speed.
Quattroelle and Macadamia traded victories in the March 4 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) and April 30 Wilshire Stakes (G3T). Quattroelle defeated Macadamia by a half-length in the former, and Macadamia took revenge by a length in the latter. Hector Berrios, aboard Quattroelle since last August, has the Gamely mount from post 6 for trainer Jeff Mullins. Tiago Pereira, Macadamia's partner throughout this year, will handle her again for trainer Phil D'Amato from post 7.
D'Amato credits Pereira with much of her success. He calls her a "little bit of a quirky filly."
"(Tiago's) been working with her the past couple of months," D'Amato said after the Wilshire.
D'Amato also trains School Dance (Flavien Prat, post 1). Unplaced in the Buena Vista, School Dance had a troubled trip and finished second to Closing Remarks in the April 1 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T). School Dance also finished second in the Dec. 26 American Oaks (G1T) against 3-year-old fillies.
Closing Remarks, trained by Carla Gaines, has been double entered, in both the Gamely and the Fran's Valentine Stakes at a mile on turf for California-breds and California-sired runners May 28. Jockey Joe Bravo has been named in both stakes, and Closing Remarks drew post 4 in the Gamely.
Bellamore (Ramon Vazquez, post 2) comes out of a second in the April 29 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) on dirt for trainer Simon Callahan. She also has placed in stakes over a variety of surfaces at Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, and Santa Anita, notably on the Santa Anita grass course in the 2022 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T).
-Byron King contributed to this story.
Santa Anita Park, Monday, May 29, 2023, Race 5Entries: Gamely S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1School Dance (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Philip D'Amato 6/1 2 2Bellamore (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Simon Callaghan 15/1 3 3Queen Goddess (KY) Luis Saez 122 Michael W. McCarthy 9/5 4 4Closing Remarks (CA) Joe Bravo 124 Carla Gaines 5/1 5 5Viareggio (IRE) Umberto Rispoli 122 Brendan P. Walsh 5/2 6 6Quattroelle (IRE) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Jeff Mullins 3/1 7 7Macadamia (BRZ) Tiago Josue Pereira 122 Philip D'Amato 5/1
