Gotham Gala wins stakes debut in Obeah

Gotham Gala set a pressured pace and had more in the stretch to win her stakes debut Saturday in the $100,00 Obeah at Delaware Park. The race serves as the local stepping-stone to the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap on July 13.

Gotham Gala won the Obeah by 3 1/4 lengths over Goodonehoney. It was another neck back to favorite Another Broad in third.

The Obeah, a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares, was run on a fast track. Gotham Gala ($17.40) broke well and moved right to the lead, with Goodonehoney in close pursuit. Gotham Gala set fractions of 23.68 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.86 for the half-mile, and 1:11.54 for six furlongs. Into the stretch she fended off bids from Goodonehoney and Drop Dead Red, going on to cover the distance in 1:50.74.

Daniel Centeno was aboard Gotham Gala for trainer Arnaud Delacour.

Gotham Gala is a daughter of Smart Strike who races for Mark Grier. She was making her second start of the year, following a third-place finish in an optional $25,000 claiming route May 25 at Monmouth. Gotham Gala has now won 3 of 8 starts, while the first-place check of $60,000 on Saturday pushed her career earnings to $119,090.