Top Kisser runs 'excellent race' to win L.A. Woman

ARCADIA, Calif. – Top Kisser’s victory in Saturday’s $100,250 L.A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita was easy for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to summarize in a conversation with owner Tom Stull.

“That was an excellent race,” Hollendorfer told Stull after leaving the winner’s circle.

Top Kisser ran arguably the best race of her career to win the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs by 3 3/4 lengths under a perfect ride from jockey Elvis Trujillo. Top Kisser stalked a quick pace of 21.48 seconds and 44.22 set by Uzziel and Tribal Gal and circled the eventual runner-up Tribal Gal in early stretch.

“I just waited until the stretch,” Trujillo said. “It worked out pretty good.”

My Happy Face finished third, followed by Maker or Breaker, Stopshoppingdebbie, and Uzziel. Stopshoppingdebbie, the 2-1 favorite, was beaten for the first time in her 10th start. A shipper from Emerald Downs, Stopshoppingdebbie won eight consecutive stakes at Emerald Downs in 2013 and earlier this year.

Top Kisser ($6.20) was timed in 1:14.84. The L.A. Woman Stakes was her third stakes win and first in a graded stakes. Hollendorfer said the victory is likely to lead to a start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here Nov. 1.

“If we can get in, that’s where we want to go,” Hollendorfer said. “She’s been doing really well. She won in hand.”

A 5-year-old mare by Old Topper, Top Kisser was bred by Stull and wife Debbie’s Tommy Town Thoroughbred. Top Kisser has won 7 of 14 starts and earned $407,100. Earlier this year, she won the Spring Fever Stakes for California-breds here in April and the California Governor’s Cup at Cal-Expo in Sacramento on July 19.