Will Then finds third consecutive victory in China Doll

ARCADIA, Calif. - With a leading rival in the stables, Will Then won her 2025 debut in Sunday’s $98,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf by benefiting from an ideal trip under jockey Umberto Rispoli.

Will Then ($4) stalked pacesetter Amorita to the final furlong before pulling clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:35.21. Will Then earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 82.

“I think she ran awesome,” Rispoli said. “I had a good target ahead of her. I used Amorita in front of me as much as I could.”

Will Then was never farther than two lengths from the front.

“At the top of the stretch, she changed leads and she did the rest,” Rispoli said. “She is a really nice filly.”

Amorita, the winner of an allowance race at a mile on turf on Feb. 21, held second.

Take Another Card, winner of the California Cup Oaks for statebred fillies on turf in January, finished third, followed by Tequilaandtherapy. Take Another Card was third behind Amorita on Feb. 21.

Only four ran in the China Doll.

Amorita (2-1) set a modest pace of 23.67 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 48.14 for a half-mile.

The complexion of the race changed remarkably earlier on Sunday with the withdrawal of morning-line favorite Casalu, the winner of two stakes since late December.

Casalu is trained by Bob Baffert. Trainers do not have to provide a reason for a scratch in a stakes in California, provided a runner is withdrawn more than an hour before post time. Baffert did not return a phone call and text message to discuss Casalu’s absence.

Will Then is trained by Jonathan Thomas and races for owner and breeder George Strawbridge Jr. Amorita is co-owned by Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable with breeder Stone Farm.

Will Then, by War of Will, has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $152,571.

After finishing 10th of 12 in her debut in a maiden race at Kentucky Downs in August, Will Then has compiled a three-race winning streak. She won a maiden race at a mile on turf at Woodbine on Oct. 26 and the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 30.

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