Keeneland: Madame Giry makes Franklin County her fifth straight win

Keeneland/Coady Photography

With Eddie Castro riding, Madame Giry pulls away in the Franklin County.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As a minor addendum to his training résumé, Cam Gambolati can now say he has a Keeneland victory – and a stakes victory at that.

Gambolati, who trained Spend a Buck to win the 1985 Kentucky Derby but had never won at Keeneland in limited tries, was on hand on a sunny Friday afternoon to saddle 3-year-old Madame Giry to a decisive  2 1/2-length score over older rivals in the $100,000 Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland.

With Eddie Castro aboard, Madame Giry got a good outside trip from an outer post before overtaking a tired front-runner, Inspired, and drawing off to win for the fifth straight time. She returned $7.60 as second choice after finishing the 5 1/2-furlong distance in 1:03.12 over a firm turf course.

“She was much the best,” said Castro.

Bounding Bi was second in a field of 10, followed by Sensible Lady and Maple Forest. Inspired, the 5-2 favorite coming off a win in the $200,000 Turf Amazon at Parx, faded to seventh after fractions of 21.20 and 44.62 seconds.

“I’d guess I’ve only run here five or six times,” said Gambolati, 61. “The timing was good for this filly, and she loves the grass. We thought about the Raven Run next weekend, but I didn’t want to switch up anything, as good as she’s been going.”

Madame Giry, owned by the Nutmeg Stable of Thomas Tierney, is a Maryland-bred by Castledale. After starting her career with four defeats, she had won her last four, ending with an ungraded stakes on Sept. 12 on the Belmont Park turf.

The $2 exacta (11-4) paid $85.80; the $1 trifecta (4-11-8) returned $126.30; and the dime superfecta (11-4-8-10) was worth $84.59.

Ontrack attendance on College Scholarship Day was 19,052.