Chancery Way runs away from field in Governor's Cup
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Unlike her three preceding starts, there was no catching Chancery Way in Saturday’s $66,250 Governor’s Cup Stakes for fillies and mares at Cal-Expo in Sacramento, Calif.
Chancery Way ($7.80) led by at least a length on the backstretch and was never hassled by four rivals, winning the six-furlong race by 3 1/4 lengths over 3-10 favorite Tom’s Regret.
Chancery Way was timed in 1:10.25 after setting an early pace of 22.88 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.95 for a half-mile.
“She broke on top,” winning jockey Assael Espinoza said on Sunday morning. “I put my hands down and let her do her thing. I tried to stay out of her way.
“Turning for home, she gave me a good kick.”
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Tom’s Regret finished three-quarters of a length in front of 7-1 Blevys Tiger, who was followed by Smiling Molly and Draw Me in the small field.
Tom’s Regret and Chancery Way were first and third in the Pleasanton Oaks at six furlongs at the Alameda county fair in Pleasanton on June 15 in their preceding starts. Chancery Way set an early pace in the Pleasanton Oaks before fading from contention.
The Pleasanton Oaks was Chancery Way’s first start since a game second in the Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in March.
Chancery Way races for the father and son team of Andy and Rob Smolich and trainer Jamey Thomas.
“I think she needed that race at Pleasanton,” Espinoza said. “She hadn’t run in a while. Jamey told me she wasn’t 100 percent ready that day.
“I was confident this time.”
Chancery Way, a 5-year-old mare by Mr. Big, has won 8 of 16 starts and earned $415,060. She has won five stakes, including the 2023 Governor’s Cup Stakes and the Betty Grable Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at Del Mar last November.
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