Close menu
Cambodia Earns First Stakes Win in G3 Gallorette

Cambodia Earns First Stakes Win in G3 Gallorette

BALTIMORE, MD – Winter Quarter Farm’s Cambodia, narrowly beaten in three straight stakes to open 2017, became a stakes winner for the first time on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course in the 66th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Stella Artois Gallorette for fillies and mares 3 and older.

Jockey Florent Geroux guided Cambodia from Post 10 to stalk Come to Mischief into the first turn and down the backstretch, setting fractions of :24.63 and :49.78. The 5-year-old War Front mare assumed the lead after straightening for home and edged clear to a 2-length win in 1:44.35 for 1 1/16 miles.

“She was very sharp from the gate,” Geroux said. “We in a great spot just off the horse on the lead. I kept her relaxed, and turning for home, she responded very well.”

On Leave, on hold in the early stages under Jose Ortiz, was second after stalking the pace throughout over a turf course rated good.

“The ground is a little soft, but not bad,” said Ortiz. “It’s good – not firm or soft. She had a perfect trip. She was on the inside saving all the ground. I think the winner had a better trip in the clear, and I think that made all the difference.”

Multiple graded stakes-placed Elysea’s World, sent off as the even-money favorite, raced at the back of the pack into the far turn before making a belated bid on the outside to get up for third, a neck ahead of Queen CarolineLaur NetDanilovnaGrace Is Ready, and Come to Mischief completed the order of finish.

New Subscriber Bonus: Access our Top 10 Wagering Angles in Racing to see exactly what we look for when opening up the past performances.

Cambodia has now won three of six starts since joining the barn of trainer Tom Proctor, including a 1 1/16-mile allowance last fall at Laurel Park. She previously ran third in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial and Daisy Devine at Fair Grounds, as well as Laurel’s one-mile Dahlia on April 22.

“From where she was at, I’d have been disappointed if she got beat,” Proctor said. “I had a perfect go, slow pace. It was nice to have it work out.” 

Cambodia returned $11.20, $5, and $3. On Leave brought back $4 and $2.60, while Elysea’s World paid $2.10 to show.

Additional Race Quotes

Robbie Medina, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey, On Leave: “Everything worked out alright. She was sitting in a good spot and he had a lot of horse underneath him. The winner had a jump on them. They were going pretty slow, he was going to try and go inside, but he angled her out. Second-best. First race since October, so this is very encouraging.”

Trainer Chad Brown, Elysea’s World: “Just a bad trip: last, no pace. She came rolling late. But it’s impossible to win from there when they go that slow. She would have had to be Superman.”

Jockey Joel Rosario, Elysea’s World: “I think it was the slow pace and I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I saved a little ground; as much as I could. It was a tough run and she tried, but with how the race was run, it didn’t set up for her too much.”

Pimlico Race Course

Join the Inner Circle

Sign up for exclusive 10% discount on orders, plus be the first to access our daily free and premium horse racing picks, articles, podcasts, and more!

Sign Up