Lady Eli (Divine Park) makes her third career trip to Southern California for Saturday's GI Gamely S. at Santa Anita.
Her previous two attempts at Santa Anita came against Breeders' Cup competition, capturing the 2014 GI Juvenile Fillies Turf and finishing a narrow second in last year's GI Filly & Mare Turf. She kicked off her 5-year-old campaign with a narrow second after enduring a troubled trip in Keeneland's GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. Apr. 15.
Only five rivals will be standing in Lady Eli's way, headed by last year's GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine Avenge (War Front). The dark bay, third at 18-1 and beaten just a length when last seen in the Filly & Mare Turf, figures to have things her own way on the front end here. “Avenge has been away for a while but she looks good and has been working great,” Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said. “It's a tough race. She's been off a long time and was turned out basically just for R&R, but she's trained real well since coming back.”
Goodyearforroses (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) reeled off three straight wins, including the GII Santa Ana S. in March, after switching hands for $200,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. She closed late to be a close fifth in the Jenny Wiley last time.
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