Counterbalance notches first stakes triumph with China Doll
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ARCADIA, Calif. - Counterbalance made the successful move from recent maiden-race winner to stakes winner in Sunday’s $98,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf at Santa Anita.
The next change could be a trip to Kentucky for a graded stakes, trainer Michael McCarthy said in the winner’s circle.
“There are some lovely purses that might suit her,” McCarthy said. “We’ll keep our options open.
“She ran hard today. It was a solid effort.”
McCarthy said Counterbalance would fit at a higher level of competition “if she keeps improving,” he said.
One option could be the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes, a $400,000 race for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Keeneland on April 4.
In the four-runner China Doll Stakes, Counterbalance ($7.20) stalked pacesetter Hypergamy to early stretch and fought past a brief threat from even-money favorite Himika before winning by two lengths over 6-1 Hypergamy.
Counterbalance was timed in 1:33.74.
Hypergamy finished three-quarters of a length in front of Himika, who was well clear of Yours Sincerely in the small field. Peanutbutterbombe was a stakes scratch earlier on Sunday.
Hypergamy set an early pace of 23.33 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.39 for a half-mile.
Counterbalance, by Caravaggio, needed four races to beat maidens, doing so in a race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 31. Kazushi Kimura has ridden Counterbalance in her five career starts.
“This was a small field, but it was a good race for her,” Kimura said.
“She was off the bridle on the backstretch. She was relaxed. That helped her.”
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