China Doll Stakes
Purse $100.000 – For Fillies Three Years Old
One Mile – Turf
Santa Anita Park – March 8, 2026
A field of five fillies is set for the 15th running of the China Doll Stakes. China Doll won several stakes races during her career and became a notable West Coast turf mare, which ultimately led to the race being named in her honor. Maxmillion Farm and Mb Stables currently share the lead among owners with two wins each in this race. Taking a quick glance at the field, there are two fillies trying the grass for the first time and only one stakes winner. Could this be a recipe for an upset? Let’s take a deeper dive into this year’s field:
- Southfork – (Royalty Stables, J R. Velazquez) Bought at auction for $219.670 and one of two fillies making their first attempt on the grass. She missed by a head first time out at Aqueduct and eventually won two starts later against State Breds. Her maiden victory looks stronger in hindsight, as two runners from that race returned to win next time out. Southfork was last seen in The Suncoast Stakes, where she went off as the favorite but failed to fire and finished ninth. Recent sharp turf workouts suggest she could be up to the task.
- Free The Viking – (La Canada Racehorses, V. Espinoza) A California Bred with two career wins, both on the turf. Her breakthrough victory came in October of last year where she blew away the field by three lengths. Free The Viking finished off her two-year-old season at Parx with a comfortable gate to wire win. Her most recent start came on the dirt, where she sat a perfect trip just behind the early speed but failed to make an impact down the stretch. So, it makes sense that she returns to the grass on Sunday. If this filly is alone on the lead, don’t be surprised if she goes wire to wire.
- Golden Warrior – (Paradise Stable, M E. Smith) The second filly in the field making her grass debut. It makes sense that she’s trying the green stuff because both her parents are stakes winners on the turf. She took a little bit of time to figure things out but won on a sloppy dirt track at Finger Lakes in her fifth start. Golden Warrior took a big step forward out of that race, running third in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar. With a strong turf pedigree and solid workouts leading into this race, she’s going to be a serious threat.
- Higgs P – (Robeth, A. Fresu) After almost setting the record for the fastest two-year-old to ever run one mile on the turf at Belterra Park, Higgs P was privately bought for $100.000. It was an absolutely dominant performance, running away from the field to win by five lengths. She held on to win by a nose in her next start in the Wait A While Stakes at Gulfstream. Her latest outing was in The Sweetest Chant, going back to two turns, but she didn’t like the soft ground. It should be noted that Higgs P will remove Lasix and a shadow roll for this race and will add Bute. My top pick.
- Pineapple Cupcake – (Nakamura Stables, F. Geroux) Started off her career in the free tracks, finishing second by two lengths. Nakamura Stables saw some promise in his homebred, taking her to Belterra Park where she won easily on the dirt. Pineapple Cupcake drew the rail in her last start and got shuffled back seven lengths off the leaders. Down the stretch, she made up significant ground to finish second. With a little bit of turf pedigree and a strong closing kick, all this filly needs is a strong pace to show her best.
– AJM
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded