Santa Anita Park Picks | China Doll Stakes 2024

After running one-two in last month’s Sweet Life Stakes on the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course, winner Antifona and runner-up Zona Verde meet again, this time at a mile, in Sunday’s $100,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

First post time for a nine-race card Sunday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

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Trained by John Sadler, Antifona earned her first U.S. stakes win in the Sweet Life when rallying from second-last under jockey Hector Berrios. She bested Zona Verde, who ran into trouble at the top of the stretch, by two lengths on the wire to score at 10-1.

Antifona was also a stakes winner in her native France before being sold privately to Hronis Racing and sent to Sadler. Her domestic unveiling came Dec. 2 in the GIII Jimmy Durante at a mile on turf at Del Mar, which was won by Zona Verde. Antifona broke tardily that day and then rallied from dead-last to finish fourth, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by her now familiar rival.

Sandwiched between the Durante and her win in the Sweet Life, Antifona was a troubled fifth in the one-mile Blue Norther on turf here Dec. 29. She had to steady on the first turn that day then was checked in upper stretch. Antifona would finish 3 ¼ lengths back of winner Medoro, who also returns in the China Doll.

Antifona, who will be ridden again by Berrios, is 3-2-0 in 10 starts with $120,867 in earnings.

Zona Verde was winless in three starts in her native Ireland before joining Phil D’Amato’s stable last summer. She graduated in her U.S. bow at a mile on turf last September at Del Mar, then was sixth in the GIII Surfer Girl before winning the Jimmy Durante.

Zona Verde is 2-2-1 in nine starts with $140,026 in earnings. She is campaigned domestically by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig. Zona Verde will be reunited with Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez, who was aboard for her Durante win.

Medoro enters with a perfect 2-for-2 record for trainer Peter Eurton. Prior to her neck victory in the Blue Norther, the Honor Code filly graduated going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar Dec. 1. Medoro is owned by C R K Stable LLC. Jockey Antonio Fresu, who has been aboard for both of her wins, again has the call Sunday.

Woo Pig Stables’ Mo Fox Givin also looms a threat for trainer Leonard Powell. The Mo Town filly was third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Medoro in the Blue Norther, but came right back Jan. 20 to dominate a one-mile allowance race on turf at Santa Anita.

Top jockey Flavien Prat takes the call on Mo Fox Givin, who 2-1-2 in six starts with $132,100 in earnings.