Tates Creek becomes Grade 1 winner

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Tates Creek won the most important race of her two-year career in Monday's $421,000 at Hollywood Park, completing a coast-to-coast Grade 1 double for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Earlier on Monday, Frankel won the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park with Aldebaran.

Tates Creek won her first Grade 1 in the Gamely, adding one of the few milestones she had to yet to achieve. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela for Juddmonte Farms, Tates Creek ($9) ran the 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.97.

"She's a great filly," Frankel said, after watching the race on TV in New York. "Pat rode her perfectly."

A 5-year-old, Tates Creek has won seven stakes and 10 races in 14 starts and has earned $1,121,007. She was supplemented to the Gamely for $10,000.

The third choice in a strong Gamely field, Tates Creek stalked pacesetter Miss Terrible through early fractions of 24.09 and 48.45 seconds, staying within a few lengths of the front.

At the end of the backstretch, Tates Creek rallied three wide to move closer to the front. She was one of four fillies within two lengths in early stretch and showed a quick turn of foot to reach the front.

"Entering the stretch, I threw a cross and she just cut," Valenzuela said. "She took off."

Tates Creek finished a length in front of 3-2 Dublino in second place, who was a half-length in front of Megahertz in third.

Miss Terrible, who was making her U.S. debut for Frankel after winning seven consecutive Group 1 races in Argentina, finished fourth, followed by Dress to Thrill and Sentimental Value.