Luck of the Kitten wins Zuma Beach Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Luck of the Kitten won the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Luck of the Kitten ran a mile on the turf in 1:34.84 and paid $7.40, $4.80 and $3.60 as the 5-2 second choice in the field of nine.

Red Button returned $8 and 45.20, while John's Success was another length back in third and paid $8 to show. Dallas Skyline, the 3-2 favorite, finished fourth.

The victory, worth $60,000, increased Luck of the Kitten's career earnings to $134,200, with two wins in four starts.

"He's got a lot of ability," said Nakatani, who earned his first win of the autumn meet. "He's got a high cruising speed, which is good for 2-year-olds and he's a big, strong colt. I got to figure him out a little bit today and hopefully we can use this as a steppingstone."

Kentucky-based Luck of the Kitten is trained by Wesley Ward and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey.

Ward's assistant, Blake Heap, says it's possible Luck of the Kitten could return to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup later this month.

In the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes, even-money favorite Her Emmynency won by 2 3/4 lengths under Joe Talamo.

The 2-year-old filly ran a mile on the turf in 1:34.77 and paid $4.20, $3 and $2.80. It was Her Emmynency's first time trying two turns and running on turf in just her third career start.

"She's a very classy filly, so professional. She doesn't act like she's only two," Talamo said. "I've seen her turn of foot in the mornings, so I was confident that she would get a mile or more."

She's Complete returned $3.40 and $2.80, while Bobbi Grace was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third in the 11-horse field and paid $5 to show.

Her Emmynency earned $60,000 for the win, increasing her career earnings to $165,000, with two wins in three starts.