Sophie P by a nose in Gamely

ARCADIA, Calif. – Deron Pearson lingered at the top of a path leading to the Santa Anita winner’s circle and stared at the infield tote board.

Sophie P, owned by Pearson, had just run the race of her life in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, but so had Madam Dancealot. The two runners hit the wire together and Pearson was awaiting the results of the photo finish.

A full five minutes after the race was run, Sophie P was judged the winner, barely a nose in front of Madam Dancealot.

“Woo, we got it,” Pearson said, breaking into a trot to the winner’s circle when the photo was announced. “I thought we lost it.”

Trained by Jim Cassidy, Sophie P ($30) ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48.53 to record her first stakes win in her 21st start and second race in the United States. Her previous best performance in a stakes was a second in the $64,800 Rothesay Stakes at Ayr, Scotland, in May 2017.

Sophie P got a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for the Gamely.

The $300,000 Gamely Stakes will be easier to remember.

The race unfolded in an unexpected manner. Hawksmoor, the even-money favorite, stumbled badly at the start. Instead of taking her position near the front of the field, Hawksmoor was fifth for the first half-mile.

Sophie P, ridden for the first time by Kent Desormeaux, was fourth for the first half-mile, racing four or five lengths behind pacesetter Madame Stripes. Sophie P advanced to third on the turn and was second with a furlong to go, trailing Madame Stripes by 1 1/2 lengths.

Sophie P was fully extended to reach the front near the wire and hold off Madam Dancealot, who closed from sixth to finish a neck in front of Madame Stripes.

Cassidy was quick to praise Desormeaux’s effort on Sophie P.

“He put her in the right spot,” Casssidy said. “He did everything he had to do.”

For Cassidy, the finish was too close to call.

“I wasn’t sure,” Cassidy said. “If they put up a dead-heat, I wouldn’t have been surprised.”

Beau Recall closed from last to finish fourth, followed by Hawksmoor, Midnight Crossing, and Mopotism.

Sophie P was sixth behind Beau Recall in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at a mile on turf on April 7 in her American debut.

“I think the mile and an eighth worked to her benefit,” Cassidy said. “She trained forwardly since the last race.”

Sophie P is a British-bred 5-year-old mare by the Danetime stallion Bushranger. She was purchased for approximately $216,000 at a horses in-training sale in England last December.

Sophie P earned $180,000 for the win in the Gamely.