Dahlia J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

NASHOBA'S KEY (Silver Hawk) and CITRONNADE (Lemon Drop Kid) look to resume

their rivalry on Sunday when lining up in the $150,000 Dahlia H. (G2) over

Hollywood Park's Cushion Track. The pair were slated to meet up for a second

time in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), but trainer Bobby Frankel kept

Citronnade in the barn, avoiding the soft turf at Monmouth. Nashoba's Key was a

good fourth in the

championship test, just two lengths back of the winner,

in what was her first career defeat. The four-year-old miss

is looking to get back on the winning track here, and is our pick to do just

that under Joseph Talamo.

Nashoba's Key began her career on Santa Anita's green, taking her maiden

debut and adding an allowance, before switching over to Hollywood's turf to make

her stakes debut in the Fran's Valentine. The bay lass made her graded bow in

the Milady Breeders' Cup H. (G2) on the Cushion Track at Hollywood, and proved

the surface switch was no problem as she rallied from midpack to score by three

parts of a length. She proceeded to add the Vanity Invitational H. (G1) and

Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) over the Cushion, then moved back to the turf to take

on Citronnade in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) during the Oak Tree at Santa Anita

meet. Nashoba's Key was content to stalk just behind her four-year-old rival

before drawing alongside and pulling off the three-quarters of a length score.

We feel her Breeders' Cup try is a complete throw-out and she'll find her way

back to the winner's circle in this one.

Citronnade strung together five straight wins, including

the Gamely Breeders' Cup S. (G1) and Beverly Hills H. (G2), before suffering her

first loss of the year when fourth in the Beverly D. S. (G1) over Arlington

Park's good turf. She appeared well on her way to getting her picture taken

once again in the Yellow Ribbon before begin caught late by Nashoba's Key. The

bay filly has earned stellar BRIS Speed numbers this season, including a 105 for

her Gamely score, and could turn the tables on her rival here. Regular rider

David Flores will be in the saddle again.

Grade 3 winner MERIBEL (Peaks and Valleys) was an easy stakes victress at

Belmont Park during the spring, but stepped up in a huge way when fourth by only

a length in the Diana S. (G1) in late July. Since then, the Christophe

Clement-trained four-year-old has been third in three straight Grade 2 events,

including the Las Palmas H. (G2) last out. Meribel favors the 1 1/16-mile distance, and could move up again in this spot to challenge

for it all. Garrett Gomez in the irons only adds to her chances.

LIVE LIFE (Fr) (Linamix) has yet to breakthrough with a stakes win, and

probably won't do so here either. However, the Leonard Powell charge does like

to earn a check and could find herself in the top three with a career-best run.

The five-year-old gray led early in her past two starts, including the Matriarch

S. (G1), before fading to fourth in the stretch. Consider Live Life for the

exotics at a price. Multiple Grade 3-placed TRICK'S PIC (Favorite Trick) is

another who could add some value to the gimmicks. The four-year-old dark bay was

just a length back in second in the nine-furlong Matchmaker S. (G3) in early

August, and could enjoy the stretch back out here after making her last start at

a mile.

BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) captured her U.S. debut and immediately

moved into graded company, finishing in the top three without visiting the

winner's circle in her next three, including the Las Palmas most recently. She

could continue that trend here. MARIETTA (Machiavellian) took five tries to

break her maiden, but immediately stepped up to graded company after doing so

and was third in Woodbine's Selene S. (Can-G3) over the Polytrack. Switching

over to the main track, the Eoin Harty trainee captured the Iowa Oaks (G3) and

added the Arlington Oaks (G3) to her line next out over that venue's Polytrack.

Third in the Indiana Oaks (G3) last out, the chestnut lass could make the

successful move to the turf here and grab another placing for her record.

MEMORETTE (Memo [Chi]) hasn't been able to challenge against Nashoba's Key or

Citronnade this season, but the classy mare remains an exotics contender.

HUCKING HOT (GB) (Desert Prince [Ire]) hasn't been able to threaten against

graded rivals in the past and owns lower numbers than others in here. We'll let

her beat us. LAVENDER SKY (Mt. Livermore) just made her stakes debut last out

and will probably use this race as a learning experience. FOXYSOX (GB)

(Foxhound) owns just one start this year, that coming in late March, and

probably needs a race. SHERMEEN (Ire) (Desert Style) looks out of her class

against these.