Gabby’s Golden Gal trumps Proviso, takes Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita

Gabby’s Golden Gal takes Santa Monica Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. — Long shot filly Gabby’s Golden Gal held off favorite Proviso and the rest of a deep Grade 1 field to win the $250,000 Santa Monica Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Gabby’s Golden Gal was third in the field of 11 in the early going, moved up to second on the turn and appeared to be fading in the stretch but dug in and pulled away for a 1¼-length victory, covering seven furlongs in 1:21.25.

It was the first time the 25-year-old Garcia had ridden the filly, and it brought him his first Grade 1 win.

The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro paid $25.20, $10.80 and $6.80. Proviso returned $4 and $3. Free Flying Soul paid $3.60 to show.

It was the second Grade 1 win for the unpredictable Gabby’s Golden Gal. She won the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes at Belmont in June, then was a distant seventh as a favorite in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in December before bouncing back Sunday.

“She just needed the race,” trainer Bob Baffert said of the La Brea. “I thought she was training well enough to win it, but she just laid an egg that day. Today, I was just hoping she didn’t go too fast. She picked up the bit.”

The filly won $150,000 Sunday’s, her fourth in nine career starts, taking her lifetime total to $499,405.