L.A. Woman repesents new challenge for Stopshoppingdebbie
ARCADIA, Calif. – Stopshoppingdebbie has been the darling of Emerald Downs for the last 18 months, winning eight consecutive stakes at the Washington track and going unbeaten in her nine career races. Trainer Tom Wenzel admits that that might not be suitable preparation for her California debut in Saturday’s $100,000 L.A. Woman Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
“These horses down here will test her,” he said.
Stopshoppingdebbie, a 4-year-old filly by Curlin, has won at distances ranging from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. The Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes is run over 6 1/2 furlongs and is a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here on Nov. 1.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Stopshoppingdebbie. Trainer Tom Wenzel is 19-8-5-3 with a $3.24 ROI over the past two years shortening from routes to sprints on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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That race, or the BC Distaff over 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 31, could be in the plans for Stopshoppingdebbie, depending on Saturday’s result.
“We’d like to try her in a Breeders’ Cup race,” Wenzel said.
In a sense, Stopshoppingdebbie is a fortunate filly. She does not face the toughest field Saturday. Her five rivals in the L.A. Woman have yet to win a graded stakes this year. My Happy Face won the Grade 3 Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct in November 2012 but has been third in all three starts this year.
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Top Kisser, Tribal Gal, and Uzziel have won minor stakes this year. Maker Or Breaker was second to Tribal Gal in the Orange County Stakes at Los Alamitos on Sept. 7.
◗ Heat du Jour, the winner of the Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares over a mile on turf, is part of a field of nine in the $75,000 Swingtime Stakes over a mile on turf in Saturday’s seventh race.
L.A. Woman Stakes, race 4
KEY CONTENDERS
Stopshoppingdebbie (Last 3 Beyers: 88-87-82)
◗ Owned by breeder Northwest Farms, Stopshoppingdebbie won the Emerald Downs Distaff over 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 24, leading throughout. The L.A. Woman will be her first start in a sprint since a win in the Washington Legislature Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs in June.
Wenzel said Stopshoppingdebbie can lead or stalk the pace.
“In her two sprints this year, she sat off the pace,” Wenzel said. “She’s been versatile.”
Top Kisser (Last 3 Beyers: 92-81-75)
◗ Top Kisser won the Spring Fever Stakes for California-bred females over six furlongs on April 26. She was second by 5 1/4 lengths to Reneesgotzip in the CERF Stakes over six furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 3.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was not encouraged when Top Kisser drew the inside post.
“I don’t know any trainer that loves drawing the rail,” Hollendorfer said.