SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Saturday, July 9, 2022) – Mamala Kamala and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. made a sweeping move to earn their first career stakes win in the $100,000 Ellen’s Lucky Star Stakes Saturday, July 9. The duo stopped the timer in 1:37.01 in her second straight win at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Mamala Kamala showed no interest in being on or near the lead from the start, content to follow along as Speedy Delivery and DeShawn Parker assumed that role on the inside, tracked closely by Holy Justice and Jose Riquelme on the outside. Pedroza kept Mamala Kamala on the rail down the backside and was able to pass a couple horses before finding an opening and moving to the outside in the middle of the final turn.
As the field turned for home, Speedy Delivery was still hanging tough on the front, but Mamala Kamala had the biggest momentum, surging past her rivals and opening up to a three and one-quarter length lead at the wire. Holy Justice held on gamely for second over Louder Than Words and Sammy Bermudez, who closed for third.
Mamala Kamala is owned by The Elkstone Group LLC, owned by Stuart Grant and trained by Tony Granitz. The Exaggerator filly was purchased from the Fasig Tipton Winter Mixed Sale as a yearling for $37,000. It was her first attempt in stakes action, and she is now two for four this season. She paid $11.80 for the win.
“The first time I rode her on the grass, she didn’t relax for me very well, and that’s why she didn’t finish like I wanted,” said Pedroza Jr., who swept both Indiana stakes on the Indiana Derby Day card. “Second time, she relaxed a little better. Today she relaxed great, and that was the main thing. When I could make her relax without fighting her, I was like ‘Oh, she’s going to have some finish’ - like she did. That was the key today. She’s getting better and better.”
Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group and Granitz were the connections behind the great Lady Fog Horn, who earned more than $800,000 and numerous stakes before being retired as a broodmare and sold to Japan. They have several younger horses now wearing the white, orange and lime green silks so familiar to racing fans at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Mamala Kamala just moved to the head of the lineup for stakes action for her connections in 2022.
Quotes by Jennie Rees, Eclipse Award Winning Turf Writer
Photos by Coady Photography
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