US Grade One Win for Galileo Mare

Progressive mare Photo Call (4m Galileo x Theaan, by Rock of Gibraltar) broke through for her first Black Type win when scoring a determined victory in the Grade III Violet Stakes last month and went right on with the job at Santa Anita on Saturday when landing the Grade I Rodeo Drive Stakes. Photo Call started her career in Ireland for David Wachman before transferring to the US and joining the stable of Graham Motion. She settled well for Drayden Van Dyke and found the line strongly late to run clear and win the mile and a quarter turf contest by two and a quarter lengths. “She’s been a class act. She loves the track, she loves the heat, and it’s beautiful here,” said assistant trainer Anne Sinchak. “You just have to keep them happy, and they’ll run the way they like to... I think the race just fitted. She’s been training well, and Graham seems to like it here--we do well here.” With the overall record of four wins and six placings from 13 starts, Photo Call is the first stakes-winner for her stakes-winning dam Theann, a Grade III winning half-sister by Rock of Gibraltar to Grade I winner Halfway to Heaven. She is yet another Grade I winner for champions sire Galileo, who is enjoying a great year on both sides of the Atlantic.