SoCal shippers look strongest in Miss America Stakes
The $50,000 Miss America on Sunday will be the final stakes of the year at Golden Gate Fields. The field for the 1 1/16-mile turf race includes five stakes winners, among them Blue Diva, who won the Miss America two years ago when it was contested over the main track.
Blue Diva, a 5-year-old mare by Bluegrass Cat out of Farmers Wife, is a full sister to the 4-year-old colt American Farmer, who, while only 2 for 20, is a stakes winner over the local turf. A group of Southern California invaders could make it tough on Blue Diva and the other locally based entrants in Sunday’s field of nine fillies and mares.
Tapwater, third in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara as well as the Osunitas earlier this year, will likely attract attention after missing by a nose going 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita in her last start. The 5-year-old daughter of Tapit led to the stretch in the 1 1/2-mile Santa Barbara in May but is more apt to sit back here.
Southern California-based Avenue de France, a game nose winner of the Luther Burbank over this course in August, has the advantage of having had a local race over her Southern California compatriots.
“She handled the course well the one time she ran on it,” said Avenue de France’s trainer Leonard Powell.
Avenue de France unleashed a devastating stretch move to win the Luther Burbank, her first stakes victory.
“She’s got a great quarter-mile move,” Powell said.
Cordiality, a multiple stakes winner on turf, and Chilean graded stakes turf winner Brooke also come north.
In addition to Blue Diva, the locals include stablemates Sloane Garden, a multiple stakes winner over the course, and Northwest Factor; the sharp Reiwa, who is going for her third straight turf win; and longshot Fairy Tale Bliss.
With predictions of rain, trainers face the possibility of a softer turf course or even a switch to the main track.
Cordiality’s trainer, Tim Yakteen, said he’s looking forward to running his Papa Clem mare, who set the pace before fading late while making her first start in nearly 13 months on Nov. 25. Yakteen is not worried about possible soft going.
Turf specialist Brooke is looking for her first U.S. win but has placed in three stakes, including the Grade 3 Wilshire.
Reiwa has scored two straight turf wins after a change in style for trainer Jonathan Wong, who has had jockey William Antongeorgi take the James Street filly back early.
“We’ve taken her back and she’s run lights out,” Wong said.