Galinda stars in $135K Maddie May

Waterville Lake Stables’ Galinda dominated her stakes debut last out to improve to 2-for-2 and stars in Saturday’s $135,000 Maddie May, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by Miguel Clement, the Good Magic bay set the pace in the seven-furlong state-bred East View on February 14 here, leading through splits of 23.64 seconds, 47.38, and 1:11.98 under returning rider Jaime Rodriguez, stopping the clock in a final time of 1:24.97 over the fast dirt. The dominant victory, 9 1/4 lengths ahead of runner-up returning rival Rina’s Revenge, earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. 

Clement said the one-turn 1 1/16-mile Virginia Oaks, a 50-25-15-10-5 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying event on March 14 at Colonial Downs, remains under consideration. Entries for the Virginia Oaks are taken on Saturday, March 7. 

“We are still very much considering the Virginia Oaks, nevertheless running in our backyard is always easier for the filly, even if it’s a bit quick back timing wise,” said Clement. “She is a talented filly, so we entered here, we’ll keep our options open and reassess. Enter, keep an eye on the probables for the Virginia Oaks, and see about the weather, which has been anything but straightforward in the Northeast.”

Galinda [post 2, Jaime Rodriguez] validated a strong local debut score sprinting six furlongs on January 10, pushing the pace and defeating a game Princess Jane by three-quarter-lengths in a final time of 1:12.02. That score earned a field-best 81 Beyer and it was another eight lengths back to the third place finisher. 

“She confirmed her debut last time, which was a very fast race. She’s shown talent from Day One, so this is exciting,” Clement said. 

Clement said should Galinda run well in the Maddie May, the next target could be the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle, a 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifier on April 4 here. 

“That would be more than likely the most logical next option, or we just go Virginia Oaks and reassess,” Clement said. “She will have an aggressive work Friday or Saturday if we run in the Virginia Oaks, if not, we’ll just train her for the Maddie May, which seems more than likely the preference at this time because we are based in New York.” 

Bred by Daniel J. Burke and Kathleen Burke Schweizer, Galinda, a $120,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Super Saver mare Super Humor. Her second dam is multiple stakes-winner Heavenly Humor, who produced Grade 2-placed Funny How and multiple stakes-winner Funny Guy, both New York-breds. 

On Our Own Stable, Commonwealth Stable, Seidman Stables and Zak Stables’s Mathea [post 3, Manny Franco] rebounded from a runner-up finish to returning rival Blue Note with an impressive fourth-out graduation over course and distance on February 12 for trainer Mark Hennig. 

Piloted by returning rider Manny Franco, Mathea was 5th-of-7 through the opening quarter-mile, steadily improving to the lead before the stretch call and winning by 5 3/4 lengths over Island Charm in a final time of 1:44.19. The performance registered a career-best 67 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I think in both her last two races, she’s gotten a touch lost down the stretch where she gets to looking around a little bit,” Hennig said. “Hopefully, now finishing first will help some with that, but I do think she’s better off making the lead later rather than sooner.” 

Mathea was previously second in back-to-back races over course and distance, closing behind Margarita Molly in December ahead of her defeat to Blue Note on January 16. She has shown improvement in Beyers across each of her four starts, which include a distant finish sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on debut in November here. 

“I honestly think she’ll appreciate two turns when we get there,” said Hennig. “I think she wants to run all day. I guess we will find out soon enough. She has progressed nicely, and does everything right in her training. I mean it’s been a difficult winter obviously to train, between cancelations and canceling works, trying to fit one in when we can, but she’s handled it well. She puts enough into her daily training that she keeps herself pretty fit.”

Bred by Fred Hertrich, III, Mathea, a $130,000 purchase from the 2025 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Verrazano mare Sweet N Salty Kiss, a half-sister to dual stakes-placed Calypso Run and stakes-placed Decade. 

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable, SunsetRidge Racing Stable, Sacandaga Stable and trainer Linda Rice’s Blue Note [post 7, Kendrick Carmouche] was sixth through the half-mile in 47.87 in her state-bred debut over course and distance on January 16, closing to win by one length over the aforementioned next-out winning Mathea. 

The Cloud Computing dark bay earned a 57 Beyer in victory and now steps up in class for the local winter meet-leading trainer Rice. Bred by Liz Crow and Marshall Gramm, Blue Note, a $40,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Preferred Sale, is out of the winning Overanalyze mare She’s Overanalyzed, a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Please Flatter Me. 

Irikan’s New York homebred Irish Fortune [post 5, Sahin Civaci] wired her 6 1/2-furlong debut by 3 3/4 lengths versus fellow state-breds in December here for trainer Tom Morley. The Central Banker bay exited to run fourth to Pinky Brier in a local state-bred optional claimer at the same distance last out on January 10. She is out of the winning Langfuhr mare Irish Whisper and her second dam is stakes-winner Tishmeister.

Morley will also send out Twin Sports Racing, Cypresshead Racing and Let's Go Racing’s Victory Hall [post 4, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for her barn debut. The Independence Hall bay made her last three starts for trainer John Ortiz, including a victory two starts back in the six-furlong Shesastonecoldfox in November at Finger Lakes Racetrack. Most recently, Victory Hall was third in the East View after pressuring Galinda mildly early. 

Bred by Stonegate Stables and Everythings Cricket Racing, Victory Hall, a $30,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Into Mischief mare Into Victory. 

Rounding out the field is stakes-placed Rina’s Revenge [post 1, Chris Elliott] for trainer Ken McPeek; as well as maiden winners Velocity Girl [post 8, Jose Lezcano] for trainer Madison Meyers and Purple Divine [post 6, Ruben Silvera] off the $40,000 claim for conditioner Ilkay Kantarmaci. 

The Maddie May is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race card, which includes the state-bred $135,000 Gander in Race 4. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern. 

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