Casalu Shoots For Stakes Hat Trick At Classic Meet In $100,000 China Doll Stakes For 3-year-old Fillies Going A Mile On Turf Sunday At Santa Anita

CASALU SHOOTS FOR STAKES HAT TRICK AT CLASSIC MEET IN $100,000 CHINA DOLL STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES GOING A MILE ON TURF SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (March 18, 2025)—Casalu, already a two-time stakes winner at the Classic Meet for trainer Bob Baffert, and Grade III winner Will Then headline Sunday’s $100,000 China Doll Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Casalu will shoot for a stakes hat trick after winning both the Blue Norther at a mile on turf in December and the Sweet Life Stakes sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course Feb. 9. The filly by Caracaro has an overall record of 8: 3-2-1 with $234,546 in earnings for owners Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. She will be ridden by Flavien Prat, who was also aboard in the Sweet Life.

Will Then makes her 3-year-old debut for trainer Jonathan Thomas and owner-breeder Augustin Stables. The War of Will filly closed out her juvenile campaign with a dominant 2 ¼ length win in the GIII Jimmy Durante at Del Mar going a mile on turf Nov.30. She will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time.

Amorita will make her stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. By Liam’s Map, Amorita most recently went gate-to-wire winning a first-level allowance at a mile on turf Feb. 21 at Santa Anita. She has a record of 5: 2-0-0 with $73,660 in earnings for breeder Stone Farm and co-owner Augustin Stables. Jockey Juan Hernandez, who was aboard for the allowance win, will be back in the irons.

Take Another Card, trained by Simon Callaghan for owner-breeder Reddam Racing, finished just a neck back of Amorita in her allowance win. The California-bred by I’ll Have Another stumbled slightly out of the gate that day but rallied under Hector Berrios to just miss in her first time facing open company. Take Another Card was a debut winner against statebred maidens Dec. 29 at Santa Anita and came back to claim the California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf on Jan. 18. Berrios again has the call on Take Another Card.

THE CHINA DOLL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 9 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

Tequilaandtherapy – Edwin Maldonado- 120

Casalu – Flavien Prat – 124

Amorita – Juan Hernandez – 122

Take Another Card – Hector I. Berrios – 124

Will Then – Umberto Rispoli - 124

First post Sunday is 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.