Ambaya, making her graded debut, delivered an impressive performance by winning the 1 1/4-mile turf American Oaks (G1) on Sunday, which featured a $300,000 purse. Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, she secured victory by half a length.
Ambaya is trained by Jonathan Thomas, who also celebrated a win on the same race card with Hiding in Honduras, ridden by Antonio Fres.
Kimura took over riding Ambaya after Fres, originally set to ride her, was injured early during the event and transported to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California. Fres injured his left leg when his boot got caught between his horse and the rail in race 7, two races after Matisse Smile’s run.
In the American Oaks, Ambaya (starting at 12-1 odds) positioned herself mid-pack and stayed close to the rail, conserving energy. She then skilfully maneuvered through the field near pole 8 and finished with a time of 2:01.02, achieving her personal best.
The runner-up was Cliffs, favored at 5-2 and ridden by Jose Ortiz, followed by Will Zen (7-2) and Take a Breath (9-1). The race fractions were 23.55, 48.30, 1:13.35, and 1:37.75.
Ambaya is a homebred filly, sired by Ghostzapper and out of Kundrei, a mare by Distorted Humor, owned by George Strawbridge and trained at the Augustine stable. This victory marked the third Group 1 win for 45-year-old trainer Thomas, who previously won the 2018 G1 Traverse and G1 Belmont Derby with Catholic Boy.
Thomas shared his excitement, saying, “I feel great. This is Strawbridges’ first Grade 1 win at Santa Anita, and they’ve played such an important role in our stable—it meant a lot to achieve this today.”
Before this, Ambaya’s only stakes attempt was a third-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Christiana Stakes at Delaware Park last September. Most recently, she placed second in two allowance races during the Del Mar Fall Tournament. With this win, Ambaya’s career record stands at two wins, two seconds, and one third from six starts, earning $245,960.
Ambaya paid $27.40 to win.
Fan Take: Ambaya’s breakout victory is a thrilling reminder of the rising talent in turf racing and the promise of new stars shaping the future of the sport. This win not only highlights trainer Jonathan Thomas’s skill but also adds fresh excitement for fans who love to see promising horses emerge on the Grade 1 stage.
