Emotional Kitten class of Miss America
Emotional Kitten is the marquee name in the $50,000 Miss America Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday, closing day of the fall meet. But she might have her hands full with Qiaona and Elegant Bel, who both come off a race on Tapeta and run best on turf.
Emotional Kitten has been facing by far the best competition in the field of 12. Bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, she’s a Grade 2 winner on turf. Emotional Kitten has not won this year, but she has two seconds and two thirds, including a neck loss in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee at Del Mar in August.
Qiaona has earned more than $500,000 and won a stakes on turf at Santa Anita, but she doesn’t get much respect at the windows. Qiaona has gone off at odds of less than 3-1 in only three of her 29 starts.
“She’s pretty much under the radar,” said Qiaona’s trainer, Ed Moger Jr.
Qiaona comes off an optional-claiming win on the main track here in November, her second start since she was given a five-month break. She ran second in the Campanile in her only Golden Gate turf start.
“The grass is great for her,” said Moger. “This race was never in our plans. We gave her some time off because she had a couple little issues.”
Trainer Bill Delia gave Elegant Bel a seven-week freshener after two turf wins here in the fall. She faded to seventh behind Qiaona in her comeback, but Delia is confident she will run better on Sunday.
“We’re ready if it stays on the turf,” said Delia. “She loves the turf. We’ll take a shot to see what she’s made of, but I think it’s the spot to go in.”
MISS AMERICA (7th race)
Key contenders
Qiaona (Last 3 Beyers: 82-81-80)
◗ She’s hit the board in five of eight stakes starts on the turf.
Emotional Kitten (Last 3 Beyers: 88-92-91)
◗ Trained by Wesley Ward, she is coming off a third-place finish, beaten two lengths, in a Keeneland allowance on Oct. 17.
She has only three listed works since her last start two months ago. One, though, is a six-furlong bullet here.
Elegant Bel (Last 3 Beyers: 63-82-82)
◗ Good speed and rail draw are pluses for this mare, who had a bullet half-mile drill Wednesday. She should offer value in exotics.