Caroline Forgason's Somali Lemonade has spent her fair share of time on a horse van, from trips to Keeneland—where she went wire-to-wire in an April 13 turf allowance in her most recent start—to Gulfstream Park, Calder Casino & Race Course, Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course, Parx Racing, and Monmouth Park.
On May 17, the 5-year-old Lemon Drop Kid mare will add another racetrack to her resume when she faces nine other older fillies and mares in the $150,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Pimlico Race Course.
Somali Lemonade, a two-time grade III winner trained by Michael Matz, carries 117 pounds as highweight from post 3 under jockey Luis Saez.
Michael Kisber, Bradley Thoroughbreds, and Nelson McMakin's grade III winner Watsdachances will make her season debut in this spot, unraced by trainer Chad Brown since a victory in the Nov. 9 Summer Secretary Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Diamond Green drew the outside and was assigned 116 with Javier Castellano in the irons.
Andrew Stone's Strathnaver is another grade III winner who shows up here. The 5-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream (GB) is winless since her last run in Maryland, at Laurel Park, where she took the Lady Baltimore Stakes in September. Trainer Graham Motion sent her to a fourth-place finish in the Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland April 18 in her most recent start. The Lexington oval was where she collected her graded score in the 2013 Bewitch Stakes (gr. IIIT). Joel Rosario gets the mount as part of a 116-pound impost from tpost 7.
Mercedes Stable's homebred Lady Ten makes an interesting addition to the field as she steps outside of California for the first time here. Winner of the Autumn Miss Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita Park last October for then-trainer Bob Baffert, she will debut for Michael Trombetta in pursuit of her first win since then. Julien Pimentel will ride from the 6 hole as Lady Ten carries 116 as well.
Calumet Farm's Starstruck is also a grade III winner, having taken the Matchmaker Stakes (gr. IIIT) back in July at Monmouth. Winless in four starts since then, she comes off a third in the Feb. 22 Bayou Handicap at Fair Grounds. The Galileo filly carries 116 with Kerwin Clark from post 9 for trainer Larry Jones.
Stakes winners Surtsey, Embarr, and Daydreamin Gracie complete the lineup along with allowance winners Triple Arch and Brenda's Way.
$150,000 Gallorette Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 9, approximate post 4:04 p.m. EDT), fillies & mares 3YOs & Up, 1 1/16 miles (turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, Odds
1. Surtsey (ON), L. Contreras, 113, K Attard, 15-1
2. Embarr (VA), F. Boyce, 114, S S Cooney, 15-1
3. Somali Lemonade (KY), L. Saez, 117, M R Matz, 7-2
4. Brenda's Way (MD), T. McCarthy, 111, D R Dilodovico,30-1
5. Daydreamin Gracie (MD), C. Evans, 112, D Kobiskie, 20-1
6. Lady Ten (KY), J. Pimentel, 116, M J Trombetta, 10-1
7. Strathnaver (GB), J. Rosario, 116, H G Motion, 3-1
8. Triple Arch (KY), O. Bocachica, 114, M J Vitali, 10-1
9. Starstruck (IRE), K.D. Clark, 116, J L Jones, 5-1
10. Watsdachances (IRE), J. Castellano, 116, C C Brown, 4-1
