Dreamfyre (red cap) scores in the Surfer Girl. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
14 entered, 12 to run, in Saturday’s $100,000 Unzip Me Stakes Presented By Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance On Santa Anita’s Hillside Turf Course
The Unzip Me is one of five stakes on California Crown Day
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—With 14 entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Unzip Me Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at Santa Anita, which includes two also-eligibles, a full field of 12 is expected to go postward in the hillside turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
Among the notable contenders are multiple graded-stakes winner Dreamfyre, who will be making her first start since last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf; graded winner Zona Verde, who cuts back to a sprint after finishing third in the GI Del Mar Oaks; plus eastern-based stakes winners Toupie for trainer Graham Motion and Golden Canary for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
Dreamfyre, trained by O.J. Jauregui, drew the rail and will have regular rider Hector Berrios aboard for her comeback effort. Last year, the daughter of Flameaway won both the Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton and GIII Sorrento at Del Mar on dirt, and the GIII Surfer Girl at Santa Anita at a mile on turf.
In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on turf, Dreamfyre set the pace before weakening to finish ninth. Based at Pleasanton in Northern California, Dreamforce has worked nine times for her return, which includes a half-mile gate work in a sharp 47.80 seconds on Sept. 13.
Owned by Danny Eplin, Dreamfyre is 4: 3-0-0 with $295,000 in earnings.
Zona Verde, trained by Phil D’Amato is back sprinting after two solid graded-stakes efforts around two turns at Del Mar this summer. She was beaten just three-quarters of a length when second in the one-mile GII San Clemente in July, then had a bit of trouble when checking in third in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks Aug. 17.
Zona Verde is 13: 2-4-2 with $237,426 in earnings for owners Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig. Regular rider Juan Hernandez has the call on Zona Verde.
Toupie comes west seeking a third stakes win for Motion and owners-breeders Wertheimer and Frere. In June at Laurel Park, Toupie won the black-type Stormy Blues Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on turf. In her most recent effort, the Uncle Mo filly finished fourth in the listed Coronation Cup Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on turf at Saratoga July 12.
Toupie, who is 8: 3-2-1 with $242,775 in earnings, will have top jockey Flavien Prat back in the irons.
Golden Canary won last year’s Soaring Free Stakes sprinting on turf at Woodbine for Casse. Most recently, she earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure—which co-tops the field with Zona Verde—in a second-level allowance going seven furlongs on turf Aug. 3 at Woodbine.
Owned by Gary Barber and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Golden Canary is 8: 2-3-0 with $140,181. She will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez.
THE UNZIP ME
Race 5 of 10 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
First post for California Crown Day, Saturday is 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. For more information or to buy tickets, please visit www.santaanita.com.
