Cali Star Shoots Through Inside, Wins Rampart

After a ground-saving trip from jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Cali Star put away Best Behavior in the stretch and drew off to victory in the $100,000 Rampart Stakes (gr. III) to claim the first stakes victory of her career in the one-mile test for fillies and mares Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park.

Ben Walden Jr. and Larry Taylor's Cali Star is finishing out 2015 on an upswing as the 4-year-old daughter of Street Cry (IRE) entered the Rampart off a five-length victory in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race Nov. 11 at Gulfstream Park West.

Gaffalione kept Cali Star close to the rail throughout after she broke from the inside. In the turn Cali Star forged through, finding room between the rail and rival Pink Poppy. While Cali Star made that move, Best Behavior and John Velazquez attempted to rally on the outside. 

Those two would battle off the turn and into the stretch before Cali Star proved best and drew off to the win, completing one mile in 1:36.35 on a fast track

Early on Cali Star raced just behind the top flight, in sixth through a half-mile in :46.50. Gaffalione liked how Cali Star responded to racing inside, even though it wasn't necessarily the plan.

"I honestly didn't really want to be inside there, but my filly was running so good and I did have the inside post, so I didn't want to give that up," Gaffalione said. "I held my position and when I asked her she just ran away. She overcame everything in this race. She's a really nice filly and I can't thank the owners enough for giving me this opportunity."

Best Behavior held second, completing the exacta for trainer Martin Wolfson, who won the Rampart last year with Gamay Noir.

"(Cali Star) likes this track; I knew that," Wolfson said. "When I (first) worked her I was surprised. She had been working slow, but her works have been really strong. She's run like her works have been.

"I was more pleased with the other filly (runner-up Best Behavior), because she hadn't run for six months. She was game."