Mares look to finish on a high note

POMONA, Calif. - Three good sprinters at the end of their careers meet Sunday in the $50,000 Bangles and Beads Stakes at Fairplex Park, a 6 1/2-furlong farewell for Kalookan Dancer, Coco Belle, and Ashley's Kitty.

After combining for 21 wins and more than $1.1 million in earnings from 70 starts, all three will be auctioned in November at the Keeneland breeding stock sale. Five-year-olds Coco Belle and Ashley's Kitty could race again after Sunday, but not Kalookan Dancer.

"This is her last race," trainer Walther Solis said. "It would be nice if she won it and then retire. She's a 6-year-old, she started running at 3, and she's still in one piece."

Kalookan Dancer has won eight races and $398,031; she scored her first of three stakes wins at Fairplex in 2007.

"She loves this track, she loves the dirt," Solis said.

David Flores rides Kalookan Dancer, who could tuck into a good trip.

"There's a lot of speed, and she doesn't need to be on the lead," Solis said.

Kalookan Dancer was cooked on a hot pace three weeks ago at Golden Gate, but thrived since shipping to Fairplex two weeks ago. She worked a bullet five furlongs Sept. 4.

Coco Belle is the quickest of the quick; six of her seven wins were gate to wire.

"She's been a good, solid filly for us," trainer John Sadler said. "She has been compromised sometimes by synthetic surfaces that don't favor speed, but when the track's tight, she is tough."

Martin Pedroza rides Coco Belle, whose chance to win the Bangles and Beads depends on how much pressure she receives from Pure and Simple. Coco Belle has earned $459,113 in 25 starts for owner-breeders Jerry and Ann Moss. According to Sadler, she could race once more this fall before she is sold.

Ashley's Kitty upset Coco Belle one start back at Del Mar and then finished fourth nine days ago in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap. Ted H. West trains Ashley's Kitty, a six-time winner who is picking up six pounds. Ashley's Kitty and Kalookan Dancer are the 123-pound top weights. Agapito Delgadillo rides Ashley's Kitty.

Five fillies and mares entered the Bangles and Beads. The outsiders include front-runner Pure and Simple and late-runner Cherie's Dream. The Bangles and Beads is race 11 on a 12-race card that starts at 1 p.m.