Blingismything makes Grade 1 debut in Gamely

ARCADIA, Calif. – The groundwork is in place for an interesting spring and summer for Blingismything, who will have her Grade 1 debut in Monday’s $300,000 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita.

On April 26, the 5-year-old Blingismything won the first stakes of her career in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf, a prep for the Gamely, which is run at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

The Gamely distance itself will be a test. Last December, Blingismything was seventh, beaten two lengths, in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf here. Since then, Blingismything has finished in the first three in four starts, all in stakes, and trainer Eric Kruljac hopes the 5-year-old mare can be a factor in the Gamely “if everything goes her way.”

That may be tough. Blingismything is one of eight stakes winners in a field of 10 in the Gamely, the eighth race on Monday’s nine-race program.

Blingismything, who races for Class Racing Stable, must beat Smoove It, who lost the Wilshire by a nose; the East Coast shippers Danza Cavallo and Hard Not to Like; the speedy Fanticola; and Queen of the Sand, who won the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap on April 18.

“I think it’s an incredibly contentious race,” Kruljac said. “I don’t see a 9-5 in there.”

Key contenders

Blingismything (Last 3 Beyers: 91-88-91)

Blingismything won the Wilshire in her 10th start, proving the promise she displayed earlier in the year. Kruljac said the key to winning the Gamely will be for Blingismything to have a patient trip under jockey Tyler Baze, who was aboard in the Wilshire.

“So much depends on the pace and trip they get,” Kruljac said. “I think we drew a good post. Fanticola is the only speed. We’ll have to break and try to save ground. The mile and an eighth shouldn’t be a problem.”

Danza Cavallo (Beyers: 92-90)

Danza Cavallo was a minor stakes winner in France last summer before joining trainer Chad Brown’s stable in New York. The 4-year-old filly was second by a neck in the Grade 3 Long Island Handicap at Aqueduct last April and won her only subsequent start – an allowance race on turf April 17 at Keeneland.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Danza Cavallo, who will have her first start in a Grade 1 in the Gamely.

Queen of the Sand (Last 3 Beyers: 93-79-92)

Queen of the Sand won the first graded stakes of her career in the Santa Barbara at 1 1/4 miles on turf, overcoming trouble with a late rally. This will be a tougher race than the Santa Barbara, trainer Paddy Gallagher said Saturday.

“She’s been running against lesser horses and she’ll have to improve,” Gallagher said. “It seems like a mile and an eighth to a mile and a quarter works. There are a couple of good fillies in there and a couple of unknowns.”

Hard Not to Like (Last 3 Beyers: 89-89-94)

Hard Not to Like won the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland in April 2014 and was third in the same race last month. Trained by Christophe Clement, Hard Not to Like has earned $781,671, highest among the Gamely entrants.