Hometown hero Vasilika (Skipshot) towers over Monday's GI Gamely S. in both record and accomplishment, having done very little wrong over the past two seasons. The one-time claimer annexed a trio of graded races in 2018, including the 10-furlong GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita in September, before rounding out the year with a rare defeat, a fourth behind the Chad Brown-trained filly Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) in the GI Matriarch S. in December. A return winner in the GIII Megahertz S. Jan. 21, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained filly came from off the pace to register another win in the Feb. 23 Buena Vista S. before taking the GII Royal Heroine S. Apr. 6. Brown tries to throw another wrench in the California stalwart's record with graded winners Rymska (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and Elysea's World (Ire) (Champs Elysees {GB}). Breaking from Post 1, Rymska has shown remarkable consistency in three seasons, finishing in the money in 12 of 14 starts. Last term, she took the GIII Athenia S. at Belmont before finishing sixth in the Matriarch. This season, the black mare was runner up on the Feb. 9 GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream before annexing Tampa's GII Hillsborough S. Mar. 9. She finished second behind stablemate Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) in the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland Apr. 13. Elysea's World, a three-time Grade III winner in 2018, kicked off 2019 with a sixth in the Buena Vista, but bounced back to eke out a win in the GIII Santa Ana S. at Santa Anita Mar. 30.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
