Thomas praised for his patience after Ambaya's American Oaks triumph

ARCADIA, Calif. – There was little to celebrate in the career of the filly Ambaya until the stretch run of Sunday’s Grade 1 American Oaks.

Ignored at 12-1 in a field of 11, Ambaya closed from fifth to win by a half-length. Not bad for a filly still eligible for a first-condition allowance race.

While Ambaya was the seventh choice, she was held in high regard by trainer Jonathan Thomas and owner and breeder George Strawbridge Jr.

“It wasn’t a surprise for us because of the way she had been training and coming along,” Thomas said Monday. “We fully expected her to run very well.”

Ambaya, by Ghostzapper, ran in her second stakes in the $303,000 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies. She was third in the $151,500 Christiana Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Sept. 27 at Delaware Park.

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In two starts in allowance races at a mile on turf at Del Mar’s autumn meeting, Ambaya was second by a nose Oct. 30 and fourth by 1 3/4 lengths as the 7-10 favorite on Nov. 24. In the latter race, she closed from last of 11 to be nearest the front at the finish. In both races at Del Mar, Ambaya had troubled starts.

In the American Oaks, Ambaya was ridden for the first time by Kazushi Kimura, a late replacement for Antonio Fresu, who suffered a toe injury earlier in the afternoon when his mount struck the rail.

Ambaya had a good start in the American Oaks and closed from fifth to reach contention in the stretch. She rallied between Cliffs, the 5-2 favorite, and Will Then, the 7-2 second choice, to take a late lead.

Will Then is owned by Strawbridge and trained by Thomas. The team also ran As Catch Can, who was not a factor and finished ninth.

Thomas said on Monday that there are no immediate race plans for Ambaya or Will Then.

“They are both at the tail end of a long year,” he said. “We’ll wait and see how they come out. We’re not in any hurry to rush them into spots.

“I think we’ll let them regroup. They’ve traveled. They’ve run.”

Ambaya has won 2 of 6 starts and earned $245,960 in a brief career that began in June with a win in a maiden race at a mile at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Strawbridge, who attended the races, praised Thomas’s approach to Ambaya’s 2025 campaign.

“He’s shown enormous patience to allow her to reach her potential,” Strawbridge said. “I don’t care how much money you throw at the game, you always need patience.”

Strawbridge, who races as Augustin Stable, has one of the sport’s most prominent stables, with decades of success in both flat and jump racing. Among the stable’s more famous wins are three Breeders’ Cup races – the 1994 Turf with Tikkanen, the 2008 Filly and Mare Turf with Forever Together, and the 2009 Filly and Mare Sprint with Informed Decision.

Will Then, the winner of two one-mile turf stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita, also was bred by Strawbridge, 88.

“They both performed beautiful,” Strawbridge said. “We had no idea who is better. Both fillies were extremely competitive.”

Strawbridge is Thomas’s principal client. Among older horses and mares, they have Mrs. Astor and Truly Quality.

Mrs. Astor, who won her fifth stakes in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar in November, is a candidate for the $100,000 Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles for fillies and mares on Jan. 19.

Truly Quality, a gelding who won his fourth stakes in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 28 at Del Mar for the second consecutive year, will have his next start in the $200,000 John Connally Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles on Jan. 24 at Sam Houston, Thomas said Monday.

Thomas had two stakes wins Sunday, beginning with Hiding in Honduras in the Grade 2 Mathis Mile for 3-year-olds on turf. Hiding in Honduras races for Robert LaPenta.

Earlier on Sunday’s program, Kimura rode the promising colt Secured Freedom to a win by 4 1/4 lengths in a maiden race for 2-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs. Secured Freedom closed from fourth in a field of six before pulling clear in the final furlong.

Secured Freedom was timed in 1:15.90 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.

“He appears to want two turns,” Kimura said.

Secured Freedom, by Practical Joke, races for Pierre and Leslie Amestoy and Roger Beasley and is trained by Tim Yakteen. Secured Freedom was fourth after a wide trip in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 22 at Del Mar in his first start.

In the interim, Secured Freedom had recorded fast workouts.

“It seems the light went on,” Yakteen said.

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