Gamely

Gamely was a Thoroughbred race horse bred and born at Claiborne Farm outside Paris, Kentucky. Gamely's dam was the stakes-winning mare Gambetta, and her sire was the great sire Bold Ruler. Gambetta's dam, Rough Shod II, also produced the splendid filly Moccasin, the fine colt Ridan, and Lt. Stevens, a major stakes winner. Owned by William Haggin Perry, his feeling for Gamely, the filly with the Roman nose, was reflected in the name of his breeding operation: The Gamely Corporation.

As for racing, that came under the aegis of the Hall of Fame trainer James Maloney. The filly stood over 16.2 hands high and Maloney felt she was too big to race as a two-year-old. Like the great Longfellow many years before her, and the enormous Roseben as well, her legs got in her way as a youngster. Therefore, Gamely's career only began in her third year. She began in California, winning the Princess Stakes, and coming second in the California Oaks and the Railbird Stakes. Then she was sent east to the venerable track at Saratoga, New York where she won the Test Stakes and the Alabama Stakes. In the Test, she set a seven-furlong track record.

Gamely's career can be summed up in her name. She was game, beating males in thrilling stretch duels (she was second to Dr. Fager in the 1968 Californian Stakes), carrying heavy weights, and running for three seasons in 41 races.

When she retired in her fifth year, Gamely's winnings were the highest among her sire, Bold Ruler's, offspring.

Bred to Round Table twice, and twice producing a foal, she died of a ruptured stomach five days after her second foal. She is buried at Claiborne Farm.