Despite return to home track, Citizen Kitty has work cut out for her

Citizen Kitty returns Sunday to Emerald Downs, where she was the champion older female last year. The 6-year-old mare, trained by Jeff Metz, should be happy to be back at the Auburn oval where six of her seven wins were accomplished.

Despite being the queen of Emerald in 2017 she won’t be favored in the allowance race for fillies and mares that headlines the nine-race card. The crack sprinter Invested Prospect looks like the one to beat in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint, which also has a $50,000 claiming option. All five horses entered are eligible for the nonwinners of $30,000 in 2018 clause in the conditions, though, so none is in for the price.

Citizen Kitty won three local stakes, including the $65,000 Emerald Distaff Handicap last year, but after closing the meet with a runner-up finish in the $50,000 Washington Cup Fillies and Mares she finished last in the Grade 3 Ballerina at Hastings.

She also didn’t make an impact in her three races this year, all at Santa Anita, the latest April 20. Metz is hoping being back at her favorite track will help her start to turn things around, and if she runs well Sunday she will make her next start in the $50,000 Hastings Stakes on May 28 at Emerald.

“She doesn’t have any conditions, so we couldn’t get the kind of race we wanted for her at Santa Anita, and she ended up running against some pretty tough horses,” Metz said. “The track there is also a lot deeper, and she struggled over it. She likes it here, though.”

Citizen Kitty will break from post 4 with Jose Zunino riding.

Julien Couton was aboard for two of Citizen Kitty’s three stakes wins in 2017, but he has opted to ride Invested Prospect for trainer Blaine Wright.

KEY CONTENDERS

Citizen Kitty, by Proud Citizen

Last 3 Beyers: 68-63-67

◗ Citizen Kitty and Invested Prospect met going six furlongs at Emerald last April, and Citizen Kitty closed for second but never got close to the free-running Invested Prospect.

Invested Prospect, by Abraaj

Last 3 Beyers: 54-49-66

◗ Similar to Citizen Kitty, the 5-year-old mare thrives at Emerald, where she has won five of her six starts with her only loss coming when she tried going around two turns in the $50,000 Irish Day in 2016.

◗ This will be her first start since she finished eighth in a $62,500 optional race at Pleasanton on Sept. 24. She can fire fresh, though, and will be tough to catch if she breaks alertly from post 3.

Little Dancer, by Successful Appeal

Last 3 Beyers: 64-83-79

◗ This will be her initial start as a 4-year-old but not the first time she has faced older fillies or mares. Trained by Doris Harwood, the Washington Oaks winner ran a huge race at 16-1 when she was the runner-up to Citizen Kitty in the 1 1/8-mile Emerald Distaff last August. She closed out her sophomore campaign with a fourth-place finish in the $100,000 B.C. Oaks on Sept. 9 at Hastings.