BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Cart Girl Sam will use her last out win at Churchill Downs as a springboard into her stakes debut Saturday in the $150,000 Andy Guest Stakes at Colonial Downs. Ten fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, have entered the five-and-a-half-furlong affair on the grass with Cart Girl Sam labeled at 6-1 on the morning line.

Trainer Rohan Crichton owns Cart Girl Sam with Dennis G. Smith and Daniel L. Walters and appears to have her improving in each of her three starts this year, all in second condition, $80,000 optional claiming sprints on the Churchill Downs turf.

She bobbled at the start in her first race of 2025 and finished out of the money on May 1 then ran a strong third in her next start on June 5. After leading for most of the way, she was passed just before the wire to finish only a length behind winner Out Too Late and runner-up High Fashion Kate going five-and-a-half furlongs. She then won by a length at five furlongs in her last race on June 29-producing a career best 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Cart Girl Sam is by Tapiture out of Country Club and was bred in Florida by English Range Farm. She has three wins, two seconds and a third in seven lifetime races while earning $137,013. Crichton bought her for $77,000 out of the Envision Equine consignment at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training.

 

Javier Castellano will ride Cart Girl Sam for the first time and they will break from post eight.

The morning line favorite at 3-1 is Mrs. Gambolini, who also makes her first start against black type company. She has a win and two seconds this year in three overnight handicaps at Gulfstream Park for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

To start the year, Mrs. Gamblini won the $70,000 Golden Beach sprinting five furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream Park on April 27 then finished second to Tiffany Gold in the $70,000 Lady’s Gold at the same distance on May 25. Last out on June 28, Mrs. Gambolini was second, a length off Florida-bred Great Venezuela in the $70,000 Portofino Bay going five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic on June 28.

Mrs. Gambolini is by More Than Ready out of Marquee Cal Gal, by Cowboy Cal and has won half of her six career starts with two seconds. The 4-year-old filly is owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds for whom she has earned $123,180.

Tyler Gaffalione takes the call on Mr. Gambolini from post two.

Rounding out the field are B G Warrior with Junior Alvarado named to ride, Hollywood Walk will have Mychel Sanchez up, Bandonarun and jockey Luis Saez, Crown Imperial will be guided by Ben Curtis, John Velazquez has the assignment on Girl of My Dreams, Alla Breve will have Horacio Karamanos up, Jevian Toledo rides Bosserati and Wesley Hamilton will be in the saddle on Uptownblingithome.

Cart Girl Sam looks to become the second Florida-bred winner of the Andy Guest after Sassy Beast in 2023. 

Return to the August 8 issue of Wire to Wire