Ambaya ($27.40) surges past Cliffs to win American Oaks
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Kazushi Kimura had a little more than an hour in the middle of Sunday afternoon to complete a pre-race study of the brief career of the filly Ambaya.
Kimura gained the mount on Ambaya after jockey Antonio Fresu took off his final three mounts at Santa Anita after sustaining an ankle injury that required hospitalization.
Kimura’s studies paid off. Ambaya ($27.40) closed from fifth in a field of 11 to win the Grade 1 American Oaks by a half-length over Cliffs, the 5-2 favorite. Will Then, who was ridden by Flavien Prat, finished third at odds of 7-2.
Ambaya and Will Then are owned by breeder George Strawbridge Jr. and trained by Jonathan Thomas.
Ambaya ran 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:01.02 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 85.
Kimura rode Ambaya as if he was well acquainted with the filly. He was the sixth different rider on the filly in as many career starts.
Ambaya raced on the inside for nearly a mile before Kimura moved her outside approaching the stretch. Ambaya rallied between Cliffs and Will Then before taking the lead in the final sixteenth.
“She was smooth from the gate,” Kimura said. “She settled on the inside. She was in a good rhythm. I didn’t want to fight with her.”
Cliffs led in the stretch and was challenged by Will Then before Ambaya passed them both.
“I was stalking Flavien and she gave me a strong response,” Kimura said.
Cliffs had her stakes debut in the $303,000 American Oaks.
“She had a perfect trip,” jockey Jose Ortiz said. “I was in the perfect position. She was second-best today.”
Ortiz said Cliffs quickened to reach contention, but did not sustain the rally.
“She had a good turn of foot and in the last couple of jumps she stayed there,” he said.
Take a Breath finished fourth, followed by Resolve, Totally Justified, A Thousand Miles, Ribbons, As Catch Can, Slick and Atsila.
Atsila, trained by Richard Baltas, was a disappointment in her first start in the United States. Atsila, a Group 3 stakes winner in Ireland in May when trained by Donnacha O’Brien, was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1 on veterinary advice. She was third in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at a mile on turf in Ireland in September.
Atsila, the 7-2 third choice, was not a factor in the American Oaks, racing at the back of the field throughout.
“She was far back and she was never in contention,” Baltas said. “She ran like a short horse, maybe.”
Ambaya, by Ghostzapper, has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $245,960.
The upset win on Sunday was Ambaya’s first victory in a stakes in her second appearance in such a race. She was third in the Christiana Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Delaware Park in September.
Prior to Sunday, Ambaya’s only previous win was a maiden race at a mile on turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis in June in her first start.
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