A change in tactics led to a career breakthrough for Gata Brazil, who surged late to capture her first stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park.

Trained by Brittany Russell for owner Nice Guys Stables, Gata Brazil was exiting a seventh-place finish at 46-1 in the Take the A Train Stakes last time out at Aqueduct, in which she made the early lead before fading.

This time the team decided to take a different approach. The result was a razor-thin victory, as the daughter of Into Mischief edged past favored Roja in the shadow of the wire to win by a nose under jockey Jevian Toledo.

“I thought Toledo rode Gata Brazil really well,” said Russell. “We talked about trying to kind of take her off the pace and see if she would finish up today. And it certainly worked.”

Breaking from post two, Gata Brazil was content to settle well off the pace in the early going. She gradually made her move nearing the stretch, shifting out for running room and kicking into gear down the lane. She reeled in Roja late, stopping the clock in 1:01.74 for 5 1/2 furlongs on firm turf.

Roja, making just her second career turf start after breaking her maiden impressively on the surface May 25, set the pace while under pressure from Biscuitwiththeboss, also trained by Russell and ridden by her husband Sheldon Russell. The pair battled through fractions of 22.14 and 44.04 seconds.

Roja put away her early challenger in upper-stretch and appeared homefree before Gata Brazil appeared on the scene.

Roja finished second, six lengths clear of Biscuitwiththeboss, who stayed on for third, giving Russell a 1-3 finish.

“I mean, both of them showed up today,” she said. “I’m proud of Biscuitwiththeboss’s third-place effort, as well.”

The win improved Gata Brazil’s record to 3-for-6 and pushed her earnings close to $120,000. All three of her victories have come on the turf at Laurel Park, where she’s now undefeated. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation and is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner American Gal.

A longshot, Gata Brazil paid $28.20 to win and topped an exacta, with the favorite in second, that returned $33.90 for a one dollar wager.

Slightly Busy finished fourth, while Impulse Buy was fifth. Strong Like Sara, Viscious Gossip, Shkhara Fire, and Safe Trust rounded out the order of finish. Double Airo, Make Haste, Ms Notion, and Not Too Late were scratched.

With Laurel set to go dark in July and August, Russell hinted that the next stop for Gata Brazil—and possibly some stablemates—might be Colonial Downs, which offers attractive turf racing opportunities during the summer.

“Colonial Downs is obviously on our radar,” Russell said. “With a filly like [Gata Brazil], we’ll just have to take a look around and map out a plan.”