Pereira's strategy aboard Little Jamie pays off in Goldikova

ARCADIA, Calif. - The key to riding a winning race on Little Jamie is to stay active.

Jockey Tiago Pereira reached that conclusion after watching Tyler Gaffalione’s win aboard Little Jamie in an allowance race at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 3.

Pereira put the theory to work in Saturday’s Grade 3 Goldikova Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Santa Anita, and recorded an upset. The $103,000 Goldikova was the first time that Pereira rode Little Jamie.

“When I asked her at the three-eighths, she stayed the same,” Pereira said. “In the stretch, she responded more.”

Little Jamie ($21.20) was third on the backstretch and the turn. She reached the front with less than a furlong remaining and won by a neck over a fast-closing Lady in Paris, a 14-1 outsider.

Little Jamie was timed in 1:34.09.

Lady in Paris finished a length in front of 10-1 Baltic Fire, who raced four-wide through the last half-mile.

Princesa Moche finished fourth, followed by Ambaya, May Day Ready, Bojaca Blessing, Miss Nightfall, Raw Ability, Mo ‘Em Down, and As Catch Can.

Miss Nightfall was the 8-5 favorite on the strength of a second in the Kensington Palace Handicap at Royal Ascot in Britain in June, and an allowance race win in her American debut at Saratoga on Labor Day.

Little Jamie, owned and bred by John and Jamie Williams, was the fifth stakes win of the year in California for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who is primarily based in Florida.

Little Jamie, a 5-year-old mare by Collected, won her first graded stakes in the Goldikova Stakes, and the second stakes of her 21-race career. She won the Wayward Lass Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Tampa Bay Downs in January 2025.

Little Jamie has won four races in her career and earned $465,206.

Joseph began training Little Jamie in advance of her first start of 2026 in May.

Earlier this year, Joseph won the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup and Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita with Forged Steel, and the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar with Eunomia.

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