Gormley filly scores thrilling turf MdSpWt win

Top-10 First-Crop sire Gormley got his fifth winner on Friday afternoon at Ellis Park when the filly Mama Rina won a hard-fought victory in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race on the turf.

Mama Rina was in a duel for the top spot for most of the race with Always Charming. Bali Kuta made it a three-way battle to the wire in the final furlong, with Mama Rina winning by a nose.

The winner is owned by Harold Lerner and Magdalena Racing and was bred in Kentucky by Lee McMillin, Randy Faulkner and Joe Travelsted.

Each of Gormley’s five winners have come in maiden special weight races. His first winner, Headline Report in late April at Keeneland, came back to run a game second in the Sanford S. (G3) at Saratoga. Gormley has runners entered at both Del Mar and Gulfstream Park over the upcoming weekend.