Galiana scores in Skipat Stakes

BALTIMORE – When Rodolfo Romero saw his filly Galiana battling for the lead in the early stages of Friday’s $100,000 Skipat Stakes, the trainer said he was “scared.”

“I thought she’d be fourth or fifth,” Romero said.

Galiana, ridden by Abel Lezcano, did drop back to second at one point, but she rallied outside of the favored Lady Sabelia in the stretch and easily blew by that one in the final furlong to win the Skipat by 2 3/4 lengths at Pimlico. Lady Sabelia, the 3-5 favorite, finished second by two lengths over She’s Ordained, who got third by a head over Aix En Provence.

The win was the second straight and 13th from 25 career starts for Galiana, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Stonesider owned by Triple R Stables. She has won five stakes and earned more than $500,000.

Galiana pressed Lady Sabelia from the inside through an opening quarter in 23.00 seconds. Lezcano let Lady Sabelia go entering the turn in an effort to get his mare to the outside. Lezcano said he wanted to avoid getting dirt kicked in his mare’s face. Once in the clear, Galiana set sail again after Lady Sabelia and easily collared her before drawing away.

Galiana covered the six furlongs in 1:10.08 and returned $12.40 to win. Lezcano said he was surprised where his filly took him early in the race.

“My horse is usually in the back, and today she’s in the front,” Lezcano said. “At the three-eighths, I moved her to the outside and got her in the clear. Very good.”

Lady Sabelia had to run a 22.20-second quarter to clear Galiana, and that may have proven her undoing in the stretch.

“Forty-five [seconds] and carrying top weight probably hurt,” trainer Robin Graham said. “Just got to get her to relax a little bit better. The 23 was fine, but then the 45-and-change; we were hoping to go in 47. But she still ran well.”

Rodolfo said he will give Galiana a break and perhaps point her to a New York-bred sprint stakes at Saratoga this summer.