Cambodia headed back to her favorite track

Cambodia swept the two Grade 2 stakes for fillies and mares on turf at Del Mar’s summer meeting. She will be pointed to a third stakes win at the track’s autumn meeting in either the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/8 miles or the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at a mile on turf. Both races are run Nov. 4.

“We’re considering the Breeders’ Cup because she loves Del Mar so much,” owner Don Robinson said. “She seems to be a California girl, and the options are out there.”

Robinson said plans will be finalized after conferring with trainer Tom Proctor.

Cambodia is in the midst of her best season, with three wins in seven starts and earnings of $374,500. At Del Mar during the summer, Cambodia won the Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Aug. 5 and the John Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles Sept. 2.

“It’s been a sensational year,” Robinson said. “She’s a thrill to have.”

He said Cambodia will not start in Saturday’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita, which offers a fees-paid berth to the winner for the BC Filly and Mare Turf.

“She’s been pretty active all year,” he said.

The Rodeo Drive Stakes is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Trainer Richard Mandella said he has two candidates for the race – Avenge, who won the 2016 Rodeo Drive and was third in the BC Filly and Mare Turf last November, and Majestic Heat, who won the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar in August. Majestic Heat was sixth in the 2016 Rodeo Drive.

There are five Grade 1 stakes Saturday at Santa Anita, all with automatic berths for the winners to Breeders’ Cup races. The winner of the FrontRunner Stakes for 2-year-olds earns a berth to the BC Juvenile, while the winner of the Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies gains a spot in the BC Juvenile Fillies.

The Awesome Again Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt leads to the BC Classic, while the Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles provides the winner an automatic berth to the BC Distaff on Nov. 3.