La Popis tries again at a mile
La Popis appears to be the best wagering venture in Friday’s feature race at Emerald Downs as she has the most upside potential of any runner in the one-mile race.
Indeed there are concerns regarding La Popis in the $5,000 claiming race for fillies and mares who have not won two races. A daughter of Dads Caps, she has just one win from 15 career starts and her sire was strictly a sprinter.
The dam of La Popis was unraced but she is by Queen’s Plate winner Eye of the Leopard. A younger, full sister to La Popis has won a maiden race at Rillito Park and a nonwinners-of-two event at Union, Ore., in 12 starts in 2023. That sibling finished last of seven in her only race at one mile or more.
Trainer Niccolo Troiani reports that La Popis “has been training well. I always thought she was more of a closing sprinter type. Those types typically like a flat mile at Emerald Downs.”
The relative appeal of La Popis on Friday is the fact she has made only two starts as a 4-year-old and may still be improving. She lost by a neck at a mile in her last start after having had just a single prep race at 5 1/2 furlongs.
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Among the opposition will be Camden High, a daughter of Liberty Gold who has won just once from 28 starts. Camden High finished third, beaten 2 1/2 lengths, at a mile to La Popis on June 16. Camden High has tried races of a mile or more on five occasions with a second and two third-place finishes for her efforts.
Camden High was recently claimed and is now trained by David Martinez. Alex Cruz is named to ride.
A pair of contestants, Gunnhild and Ted’s Candy Girl, finished first and second, respectively, in a one-mile maiden race on May 29. The race was won by the lone front-runner in 1:40.26, resulting in a Beyer Speed Figure of just 33.
Ted’s Candy Girl returned to win a maiden event by a nose, matching the 30 Beyer Speed Figure she earned on May 29.
G G Rules is a 3-year-old with just eight career starts, and there is some potential for her to like the distance based on pedigree. Both her sire and dam were primarily turf specialists but the dam won twice at a mile and she has produced five offspring who have won at distances of a mile or beyond.
Munnings Tale, 5, is one of just three in the field with a win at a mile. That win came in a maiden contest at Turf Paradise in January. Munnings Tale has since gone off form.
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