Medoro begins 3-year-old season in China Doll

Medoro had a perfect finish to her 2-year-old season in December, winning a maiden race at Del Mar and the Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita in a span of four weeks.

The unbeaten record led to an early winter break that ends in Sunday’s $100,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

The race is part of a late winter and spring campaign designed to have Medoro in peak form for turf races such as the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes and Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks this summer.

“Those are two races I want to be in,” trainer Peter Eurton said Friday.

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The China Doll Stakes, which drew a field of six, offers a formidable test. The field has two other stakes winners in Antifona, who won the Sweet Life Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on Feb. 11, and Zona Verde, who won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on turf on Dec. 2 at Del Mar and was a troubled second in the Sweet Life Stakes.

Mo Fix Givin, third in the Blue Norther, will have her second start of the year in the China Doll after winning a one-mile allowance race on turf on Jan. 20.

The China Doll Stakes is the seventh race on a nine-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific.

Medoro, who Eurton estimates weighs 970 pounds, closed from well off the pace in her two wins in December, reaching the front in the final strides.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing, Medoro is likely to race as a closer in the China Doll. Girl of My Dreams and possibly Visually, who were eighth and third in the Sweet Life, are likely to show speed.

Medoro, who will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, figures to be tracking those rivals from post 5.

“She’s got a good draw,” Eurton said. “I want to see her continue her success.”

Antifona was fourth after a wide trip in the Jimmy Durante Stakes in her American debut, and fifth in the Blue Norther after racing in traffic in early stretch. In the Sweet Life, she rallied wide through the stretch, avoiding trouble on the inside that plagued Zona Verde and a few others.

“A fast pace would be good for her,” trainer John Sadler said.

Zona Verde led throughout the Jimmy Durante after setting a slow pace. In the Sweet Life, she was beaten two lengths by Antifona after being checked in early stretch. Once clear, Zona Verde rallied to be a clear second, but was not a threat to the winner.

“It was one of those things where it tightened up,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She finished really well.”

Leading rider Juan Hernandez rides Zona Verde for the first time since the Blue Norther.

“She’s an extremely versatile filly,” D’Amato said. “She can come from out of it or be on the lead. I’ll let Juan Hernandez play the break.”

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