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Top Kisser keeps risin' in L.A. Woman

Top Kisser will be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Benoit Photo) Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' homebred Top Kisser registered her first graded stakes victory on Saturday at Santa Anita, posting a convincing 3 3/4-length score in the Grade 3, $100,250 L.A. Woman. She blew past the early leaders in upper stretch and cruised to the wire beneath Elvis Trujillo. Conditioned by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, the improving five-year-old mare earned her first stakes win over California-bred rivals earlier this season, capturing the Spring Fever at Santa Anita in April, and defeated open foes in the California Governor's Cup at Sacramento two starts back on July 19. "The fractions were good for her," Hollendorfer said. "If I can get in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint ($1 million at seven furlongs on November 1), I'd like to do that (for her next race). I don't know if we'll get in, but we'll see. "The only thing we told Elvis was, 'You're not going to make the lead in here and you're probably going to have to get outside where she likes it.'"

A bay daughter of Old Topper, Top Kisser has found her niche in sprints, turning 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14 4/5 Saturday, and she increased her bankroll to $407,100 from a 14-7-3-2 ledger.

Off as the 2-1 second choice, Top Kisser stalked the pace in third after breaking from the innermost post among six distaffers. Uzziel established early splits in :21 2/5 and :44 1/5 while being chased by Tribal Gal.

Uzziel gave way badly leaving the far turn as Tribal Gal tried to carry her speed into the stretch drive, but Top Kisser entered the straightaway with a head of steam and easily powered her way to the front, quickly opening up a clear advantage by midstretch.

"It was a good race," Trujillo said. "She broke sharp, we had a good position and I knew they were going too fast on the front end, 21, 44 for the half. I knew they had to stop. I asked her at the quarter pole and she kicked on."

Tribal Gal held second by 1 3/4 lengths over the rallying My Happy Face, who was followed under the finish line by Maker Or Breaker, 2-1 favorite Stopshoppingdebbie and Uzziel.

Top Kisser returned a $6.20 win payout.

The California-bred is the first stakes winner out of the Cherokee Run mare Cherokee Kiss, a half-sister to Grade 2 hero Stanley Park and stakes winner Turf Melody.

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