Expensive Queen keeps Walsh's Gamely streak intact

The Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita on Memorial Day has been a fixture on Kentucky-based trainer Brendan Walsh’s travel schedule this decade, and this year is no exception.

On Monday, for the fifth consecutive year, Walsh has a runner in the $300,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf with Expensive Queen. A 4-year-old Irish-bred filly, Expensive Queen, the sharp winner of an allowance race at Keeneland in her American debut last month, is part of a field of nine in the Gamely.

Judging from Walsh’s recent runners in the Gamely, Expensive Gift commands respect. Walsh was second in the 2021 Gamely with La Signare, and won the 2022 running with Ocean Road. In 2023, Viagreggio finished fourth. Last year, Forever After All was third for Walsh.

Expensive Queen, owned by Kip and Suzanne Knelman’s Farfellow Farm, has won 2 of 8. She ended a six-race losing streak in the Keeneland race at 1 1/16 miles, closing from eighth of 12 in the final three furlongs to prevail by a neck.

:: Santa Anita Clocker Reports are available every race day. Access now.

Expensive Queen, who will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura in the Gamely, tipped that sort of performance in her early April works, Walsh said.

“I thought she was impressive,” Walsh said on Wednesday. “Her last two or three pieces of work had been kind of like that. She’s adapted well to our style of racing.”

The Gamely and Monday's Shoemaker Mile are the richest races of the Santa Anita spring-summer meeting. Befitting that status, the Gamely has drawn a solid field that includes the stakes winners Alpha Bella, Be Your Best, Lady Claypoole, Liguria, No Show Sammy Jo, Public Assembly, Where’s My Ring, and the stakes-placed Khinjani.

Where’s My Ring is also entered in Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.