TORONTO, September 6, 2018 – Gamble’s Ghost has been firing on all cylinders of late, taking the Grade 3 Trillium and Grade 3 Ontario Matron with her usual flair. Sunday’s Belle Mahone, a $100,000 overnight stakes for fillies and mares, is at the same 1 1/16-mile distance as her most recent conquests and Gamble’s Ghost will be looking to extend her streak as she faces six rivals. “She’s probably just as tryin’ a horse as you could get,” said Josie Carroll, who conditions Gamble’s Ghost for owner/breeder Ivan Dalos. “She shows up every time, and gives it everything. They don’t get much easier than that.” Gamble’s Ghost and jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva winning the $125,000 Ontario Matron Stakes (Grade 3) on Sunday, July 15 at Woodbine Racetrack. (Michael Burns Photo) The 5-year-old Gamble’s Ghost launched a three-race win streak here in last year’s Belle Mahone with her subsequent scores coming in the 1 1/8-mile allowance prep for the Maple Leaf Stakes and the 1 ¼-mile Maple Leaf itself. Gamble’s Ghost’s most recent victories have come in dramatic fashion as regular rider Eurico Rosa da Silva got her up to win in the final strides. “It’s always concerning with that style of racing, that you get locked in,” said Carroll. “But that’s what she does, and you can’t really change her way of running. It’s been very successful. “It takes her a little while to get her feet under her but once she does, she comes running.” Carroll also won the 2008 edition of the Belle Mahone with Serenading. My Arch Enemy, trained by Mark Casse, left Gamble’s Ghost in third place when both were making their seasonal bows in the 1 1/16-mile allowance prep for the Trillium. The 4-year-old owned by Gary Barber also ran well in both the Trillium and Ontario Matron but had to settle for third money after being prominent throughout on each occasion. “My Arch Enemy is a filly who shows up every time, runs really well,” said Casse. “We’re just hoping maybe to get lucky. She always tries hard, and I’d like to get a stakes win under her belt.” Giada Vegas, a 5-year-old Casse trainee who campaigns for Dixiana Farms, became a stakes winner in the Blushing K. D. over 1 1/16-miles of turf at the Fair Grounds last December but has not seen action since February 17. “It’s not really what you want to do, come back in a stake, but we don’t have a whole lot of other opportunities so we’re going to get her started there,” said Casse, who previously won the Belle Mahone with Theogony (2015) and Uchenna (2016). The Belle Mahone Stakes is slated as Race 8 on Sunday’s 10-race card. First post is 1 p.m. FIELD FOR THE BELLE MAHONE STAKES Post/Horse/Jockey/Trainer 1/My Arch Enemy/Gary Boulanger/Mark Casse 2/Gamble’s Ghost/Eurico da Silva/Josie Carroll 3/Babybluesdancing/Jesse Campbell/Terrel Gore 4/Daddy’s Great Bay/Kazushi Kimura/Gord Colbourne 5/Superioritycomplex/Luis Contreras/Michael Stidham 6/Mexican Hat/Emma-Jayne Wilson/Catherine Day Phillips 7/Giada Vegas/Patrick Husbands/Mark Casse Share This:Share
