Wild Gams overtakes 3-5 favorite

Wild Gams ran down previously unbeaten Fancy Diamonds in deep stretch to score a one-length victory in Saturday's $250,000 My Juliet Stakes at Philadelphia Park.

Switching to dirt after finishing fourth in her 2008 debut in the Grade 2 Madison over Keeneland's Polytrack six weeks earlier, Wild Gams ($7) was kept within two lengths of pacesetter Fancy Diamond through a half-mile in 45.78 seconds.

Jockey Alan Garcia, riding Wild Gams for the first time, asked the 5-year-old mare for her best run entering the stretch. She overtook Fancy Diamond, the 3-5 favorite in a field reduced to five by the scratch of Dream Rush, with a sixteenth of a mile to go and inched clear.

The winner completed six furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.81.

Fancy Diamond, who had won her first three career starts, held second, two lengths in front of Jet Away Jane.

Trained by Ben Perkins Jr. for New Farm, Wild Gams has now won 8 of 20 starts lifetime, including a pair of Grade 3 stakes, and $868,486.