Badilla sends contenders in Golden Poppy Stakes

Manny Badilla has enjoyed success with clients Ronald Charles and Samuel Gordon, and he’s looking to grab the gold ring for them again in Sunday’s $75,000 Golden Poppy for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Golden Gate Fields.

Badilla is saddling two runners for Charles and Gordon, Irish-bred Ziarah and English-bred Sloane Garden, both of whom are coming off a win. Badilla also sends Morning Cynn in the Golden Poppy. She is owned by C T R Stables and Dorene Calvert.

:: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more.

Ziarah and Sloane Garden were purchased in England before coming to the United States. Ziarah has won 6 of 18 starts since her arrival here, earning $146,060. She has won three straight races, all optional-claiming races on the Golden Gate Tapeta main track.

Sloane Garden won her maiden in her U.S. debut Jan. 10 at Golden Gate and has two wins and a second in four starts in this country. Sloane Garden won a first-level allowance on turf May 23 at Golden Gate.

Badilla credits Charles for picking out the imports he sends to him.

“He has a fantastic eye for horses and has some good people helping him over there,” Badilla said.

Badilla says he goes slowly with the imports before starting to work them.

“You have to let them acclimate,” he said.

Morning Cynn set the pace before settling for second behind Ziarah in a May 17 optional claimer, her first route try.

Desert Oasis might be favored off her Southern California form. Trained by Neil Drysdale, Desert Oasis won an optional claimer in February and comes off a second in an optional claimer May 16, both going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Golden Poppy contenders Blue Diva and Wicked Old Fashion both have won stakes. Blue Diva won the Miss America at this distance on the Golden Gate main track last December. She makes her first start since winning an allowance race at a mile on Feb. 28.

“She needed the time off,” trainer Isidro Tamayo said.

Wicked Old Fashion won the Kathryn Crosby on the turf at Del Mar last November after running third against males here in the Rolling Green. She’s finished first and second at the $12,500 starter level in her past two starts.

“We tried not to run her over her head,” trainer Victor Trujillo said.

Meal Ticket treks north from Southern California for the first time, while Boundforjamaica, will be stretching out for the first time.