2016 Gamely Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 1 Gamely Stakes will be run this Monday, May 30 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be after the winner's share of the $300,000 when they race 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita's turf track.

Nine older females will content this year's Gamely Stakes - race 8 on Santa Anita's holiday Monday card. Post time is 5:30 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all nine combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.

2016 Gamely Stakes Race Preview at Santa Anita Park

Nancy From Nairobi - John Sadler trained British bred mare has five wins and six second place finishes in 22 career starts. She started her career in Europe and was OK before debuting in North America with a second place finish in an Allowance Optional Claiming here December 30. She enters on a superb three race win streak - the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes last time out here May 5 and two Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track. The wins followed a seventh in her only other stakes action to date - the minor Astra Stakes here January 17. Nancy From Nairobi looks for her second straight stakes win and fourth straight overall in career best form and races at a distance she's posted a win and a second in two starts. Abel Lezcano will be in the reins looking to keep an impressive run going from the rail.

Fanticola - defending runner-up in this race - Canadian bred Phil D'Amato trained mare raced in graded stakes company for the first time April 18 and finished a good second in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap and followed that with another runner-up finish in the 2015 edition of this race. She went on to win the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes here in June and has been just OK since. She enters on the heels of consecutive third place finishes - behind Nancy From Nairobi in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes May 5 and the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at Santa Anita's main track April 10 after consecutive fourths - the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes here in September and the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar in August. Fanticola now has five wins, five seconds and eight third place finishes in 21 career starts (three wins, three seconds and five thirds in 12 starts on Santa Anita turf) and hopes to snap a four race losing streak with Joe Talamo in the reins from gate 4.

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Wekeela - French bred Chad Brown trained filly has three wins and three seconds in nine career starts. She made her North American debut last time out and finished a respectable second behind the outstanding Tepin in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland April 16. She had done well in four consecutive Group races in France - a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary last May was followed by a career-defining win in the Group 3 Prix Chloe in June, a fifth in the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette in August and an OK fourth in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at Longchamp in October. Wekeela has been pretty competitive so far and hopes to make a statement Monday from gate 6. Javier Castellano will be in the irons.

Nashoba's Gold - was at her best in 2014 when she won the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes and the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes on this track. She has only six starts since for trainer Carla Gaines and she hasn't placed in any. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes March 26 which followed a fifth in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes on this track February 20, another fifth in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes at Del Mar November 7, a sixth in last year's Buena Vista Stakes, a ninth in the minor Megahertz Stakes in January, 2015 and a fifth in the 2014 American Oaks. Nashoba's Gold hasn't been seen much the last 24 months but hasn't looked great in her limited action. Jockey Tyler Baze hopes to change her fortunes around at a distance she's won three of four career starts Saturday from the outside post 9.

Elektrum - Irish bred John Sadler trained filly won the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes five starts back - at Del Mar August 8 and went on to a second in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita September 26. Last time out was a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine here May 5 which followed a runner-up finish as 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar November 21 and a fourth as even money favorite in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes also at Del Mar November 1. Elektrum has four wins, six seconds and two third place finishes in 18 career starts and looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristic outing last time out. Victor Espinoza gets the call from post 5.

Keri Belle - John Shirreffs trained mare has 14 career starts with four wins, two seconds and two place finishes. She enters off a disappointing eighth in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes here May 5 after a respectable third in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes here February 20, a good win on this track in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at 12-1 odds January 18 and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Aqueduct November 26. Keri Belle has been a tad tough to figure out but will be out for a strong bounce back when she leaves from post 7 with Mike Smith in the reins.

Illuminant - Michael McCarthy trained filly has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 10 career starts. She enters off an OK third in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland April 16 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita March 10 and consecutive fourths in graded stakes action - the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes in January and in the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes January 3. Those results followed a two race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming November 27 at Del Mar and a maiden score at Santa Anita October 10. Illuminant looks for her first stakes score Saturday in so-so form. Flavien Prat has been scheduled to ride form gate 8.

Dressed to a T - has just six career starts for trainer Ben Cecil with two wins and two second place finishes. She enters off a career-worst effort - a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming here May 7 which followed a second and a fifth in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races earlier this year. She did win two straight this past winter but has been just OK since. Dressed to a T has been OK against lesser competition and steps into stakes company for the first time - from post 3 with Mario Gutierrez guiding her.

Evo Campo - Patrick Gallagher trained filly has four wins, a second and two third place finishes in 10 career starts and makes her stakes debut Monday. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score here May 5 after a fourth, a third and another win in Allowance Optional Claiming races to start her year. Evo Campo arrives in so-so form and will have Rafael Bejarano in the saddle from gate 2.

2016 Gamely Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Monday card with a Post Time of 8:30 PM.