Winner of two of her last three starts, including her most recent outing in the Sept. 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIT), Florida-bred Egg Drop figures prominently among a field of nine fillies and mares in the $150,000 Goldikova Stakes (gr. IIT) going a mile on the turf at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 3.
A 4-year-old daughter of Alphabet Soup, Egg Drop pressed the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar and took a hard-fought head decision over longshot Appealing, who is also entered in the Goldikova.
Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Egg Drop will try the Santa Anita turf for the first time in the Goldikova. In her only other attempt at a mile on grass, she was second, beaten half a length, by the highly regarded Schiaparelli in the grade II Royal Heroine Mile July 6 at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Egg Drop has as 4-2-2 overall in 10 starts for trainer Mike Mitchell, with earnings of $254,020. She'll be ridden by Martin Garcia, who has been aboard for her last three starts, from post 5 as the 124-pound highweight.
With Joel Rosario in to ride, More Chocolate appears a veritable foe for Egg Drop as she draws upon her considerable class while taking a dip out of three consecutive grade I starts. Fifth in the Sept. 28 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I), More Chocolate was second in both the June 15 Vanity Handicap (gr. I), and the Aug. 3 Clement Hirsch Stakes (gr. I)
Trained by John Sadler and owned by Michael Talla, the 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon is 2-1-1 on the grass in seven starts and hasn't run on turf since placing third in the grade III Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita last Dec. 30.
Customer Base, second beaten a half length as the 2-1 favorite in the one mile turf Swingtime Stakes Oct. 5, and a close fifth in the Yellow Ribbon, rates a big chance for trainer Tom Proctor and Glen Hill Farm. A 4-year-old Lemon Drop Kid filly, Customer Base has three seconds from five tries at one mile on grass.
Victorious at 7-2 in the Swingtime, Miss Pippa will bid for her second consecutive win and be ridden back by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Also trained by Sadler, Miss Pippa has two wins and three seconds from six starts at one mile on turf and a 3-4-1 record from 11 starts overall.
Owned by Joy Ride Racing, Miss Pippa, a 4-year-old filly by Master Command, was taken well off the pace in the Swingtime by Smith and would benefit from a fast pace Sunday. She has earnings of $173,602.
Off at 34-1 in the Sept. 2 Yellow Ribbon, Irish-bred Appealing figures to be a much shorter price in the Goldikova. Ridden by Brice Blanc at Del Mar, she'll get the services of Rafael Bejarano in the Goldikova. With an overall mark of 4-2-2 from 14 starts, three of her wins have come on turf. Trained by Paddy Gallagher and owned by Yvonne Jacques, she has earnings of $134,383.
$150,000 Goldikova Stakes (gr. IIT, Race 9, approximate post 4:00 p.m. PDT), fillies & mares 3YOs & Up, one mile (turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. More Chocolate (KY), J. Rosaripo, 121, J W Sadler
2. Customer Base (KY), G.L. Stevens, 119, T F Proctor
3. A Time to Love (KY), C. Sutherland Kruse, 119, T Yakteen
4. E Z Kitty (WA), C.S. Nakatani, 119, J Metz
5. Egg Drop (FL), M. Garcia, 124, M R Mitchell
6. Long Face (KY), J.R. Leparoux, 119, P L Biancone
7. Miss Pippa (KY), M.E. Smith, 119, J W Sadler
8. Ighraa (IRE), V. Espinoza, 116, S Callaghan
9. Appealing (IRE), R. Bejarano, 119, P Gallagher