Ambaya

Ambaya, a daughter of Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, won her career debut going away by 2 ½ lengths June 12, 2025, taking a one-mile turf race at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The chestnut filly then competed in an allowance optional claiming race at the same distance and on turt at Colonial Downs in mid-July and led in the stretch only to lose by a nose.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas then sent Ambaya to Delaware Park for her stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Christina B Stakes, where she finished third. After a month off, she resurfaced with Thomas’ string in California, and finished second by a nose and then a solid fourth in two one-mile allowance optional claiming turf races during Del Mar’s Bing Crosby meet.

Ambaya entered her toughest test yet with a record of one win in five career starts while also having good overall form. Still, she was sent off as a 12.70-1 longshot in the Grade 1 American Oaks Presented by Cygames Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park, a 1 ¼-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. With Kazushi Kimura in the irons, the filly stalked the pace and relished the added distance, finishing strong in the homestretch to prevail by a half-length.

George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable bred and owns Ambaya. She is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Kudray, and her second dam is multiple graded stakes-winning turf mare J’Ray.