From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2019) – An easy winner of the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1 at Santa Anita, Been Studying Her will stretch out an eighth of a mile in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes Saturday at Los Alamitos.
Restricted to Golden State Series eligible 2-year-old fillies, the Soviet Problem is the eighth of nine races. Post time Saturday is 12:30 p.m. Approximate post for the one-mile main event is 3:58 p.m.
Owned by breeder KMN Racing LLC and trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Been Studying Her won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies by 3 ¼ lengths as the 3-2 favorite.
The win was the third in four starts for the Fast Anna filly out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Maddie’s Odyssey. She’s earned $205,280.
Hollendorfer will be seeking his second Soviet Problem win at Los Alamitos having cashed with Sircat Sally in 2016.
Owner-breeders Gary Barber and Wachtel Stable and trainer Peter Miller will be seeking a second consecutive win in the Soviet Problem.
After scoring with Kookie Gal in 2018, they will be represented Saturday by her full sister California Kook.
A daughter of Boisterous and the Comic Strip mare Kukaluka, California Kook disappointed as the favorite when debuting at a mile on turf Oct. 19, but made amends with a 2 ¾ length win when switched to the main track Nov. 22. She’s earned $31,551 in her two outings.
Runner-up in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies, Smiling Shirlee will make her first start around two turns for owners Rusty Brown, Philip Lebherz and Alan Klein and trainer Jeff Bonde.
A daughter of Smiling Tiger and the Grand Slam mare Whobetterthanus, Smiling Shirlee is 1-for-3 with a bankroll of $86,600. She broke her maiden first time out at Del Mar July 17 six weeks before finishing third behind Been Studying Her in the Generous Portion.
Warren’s Showtime completed the trifecta when 11-1 in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies for owner-breeders Benjamin and Sally Warren and trainer Craig Lewis.
The daughter of Clubhouse Ride and the Affirmative mare Warren’s Veneda is 2-for-5 with a bankroll of $126,271. Both of her wins have come on turf, including a 35-1 surprise in the Surfer Girl Oct. 6.
Warrior’s Moon goes turf to dirt for owner-breeder Wade Jacobsen and trainer Peter Eurton after graduating as the favorite at the Soviet Problem distance on turf Oct. 19.
The Jeranimo filly out of the Half Ours mare Casual Observer is 1-for-4 with earnings of $44,880. She finished fourth in her two races on dirt.
Trainer Mike Harrington entered two locally based fillies – Cholula Lips and Nocherylikemychery.
Owned by Amanda Navarro and breeder Terry Lovingier, Cholula Lips has one win in six starts and earnings of $102,250. The Empire Way filly out of the Rio Verde mare Sweet Lips Pooh hasn’t won since scoring a 21-1 upset in her debut May 24.
In her most recent appearance in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies, Cholula Lips was fourth, 6 ¾ lengths behind Been Studying Her.
Nocherylikemychery is a five-start maiden with earnings of $38,520. She was second at the Soviet Problem distance Nov. 22 in her last start for Navarro and Lovingier.
Seventh in the Golden State, Almost a Factor has won once in three starts for Gary Parker and breeder Harris Farms, Inc. The win for the daughter of The Factor and the Tiznow mare Tizn’t Caught came at eight furlongs on the turf Sept. 27. She’s banked $44,220.
Jodie Faster stretches out after a narrow maiden win Nov. 17 for Gordon Jacobsen, Jeff Owen and trainer Phil D’Amato.
The Empire Way filly out of the Johannesburg mare Joeysburg has a win in three races and earnings of $39,551.
Phoenix Tears is winless in six starts for owner-breeders John and Allegra Ernst. The Circumference filly out of the Tapit mare Tap the Till has yet to finish better than fourth in her career. She’s earned $5,044.
From inside out, the field for the Soviet Problem Stakes: Warrior’s Moon, Abel Cedillo rides, 117 pounds; Smiling Shirlee, Ruben Fuentes, 117; California Kook, Joe Talamo, 117; Jodie Faster, Heriberto Figueroa, 117; Phoenix Tears, Edwin Maldonado, 117; Nocherylikemychery, J.C. Diaz, 117; Cholula Lips, Tyler Baze, 117; Been Studying Her, Drayden Van Dyke, 121; Warren’s Showtime, Jorge I. Velez, 121 and Almost a Factor, Geovanni Franco, 117.