Hollywood Park: Teddy's Promise going for final big score in Santa Monica

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Teddy’s Promise, winner of Sunday’s $100,250 Playa del Rey Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, will be sent to Kentucky to be bred to Smart Strike in 2014. But first there is one more objective.

She will attempt to surpass $1 million in career earnings with a win in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 25.

Teddy’s Promise won the 2013 Santa Monica Stakes, and the race next month is expected to be her final start. Tuesday, trainer Ron Ellis said that Teddy’s Promise has emerged from the Playa del Rey “in excellent shape.”

Owned by breeders Ted and Judy Nichols, Teddy’s Promise won the Playa del Rey by leading throughout. She won by 1 1/4 lengths over 8-1 Judy in Disguise, finishing six furlongs in 1:09.66. The Playa del Rey was Teddy’s Promise’s first start since an eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

“For me, she didn’t fire her best race in the Breeders’ Cup, but she came out of the race awesome,” Ellis said.

The Playa del Rey was the seventh stakes win for Teddy’s Promise, who has won 11 of 28 starts and $882,397 in her four-year race career.

“We’re sorry to lose her,” Ellis said. “She’s been a great mare, had a great run. We’re trying to get her to $1 million in earnings.”