2016 Groupie Doll Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 3 Groupie Doll Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, August 6 from Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Ellis Park's dirt track and race one mile searching for the winner's portion of the $100,000 purse.

A full and deep field of 12 plus one Alternate Entry will give it a go in the Groupie Doll Stakes - race 9 on Ellis Park's Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:40 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 13 possible entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

2016 Groupie Doll Stakes Race Preview at Ellis Park

Ahh Chocolate 4-1 - Neil Howard trained filly has placed in nine of 13 career starts - five wins, a second and three third place finishes. She enters off a disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs June 18 after a good win in the Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Distaff Stakes at Pimlico May 20 and consecutive thirds - the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland April 22 and in the minor Esplanade Overnight Stales at Fair Grounds March 18. She's also posted a great win in the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs November 26 and a second in the Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes on that track November 7. Ahh Chocolate has placed in five of her last six starts overall (all stakes) and will be after her third graded stakes score from gate 6 Saturday. Chris Landeros gets the call on the 122 pound highweight and tepid morning line favorite.

Engaginglee 9-2 - Dale Romans trained mare has three wins, six second and four third place finishes in 21 career starts. She has been decent ahead of this weekend - a third last time out in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs June 18 followed a fifth in the Grade 3 Distaff Stakes at Pimlico May 20, a second in the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs May 6 and a third in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream in March. He placed in four straight races before that including an Allowance Optional Claiming score February 12. Engaginglee has now hit the board in seven of her last eight starts and will be after a first stakes score from post 5 Saturday. Jesus Lopez Castanon will be in the irons as the morning line second choice.

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Pangburn 5-1 - William Van Meter trained filly has recorded some decent results in her 16 race career - four wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. She finished second in the 2014 Grade 2 Pocahontas Stakes in her second career start, was second in the 2015 Grade 3 Iowa Oaks in June and also finished third in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes in March, 2015. Last time out was an OK second in the minor Mari Hulman George Stakes at Indiana Grand July 16 after a fifth in the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses Handicap June 25, a third in the minor Heavenly Prize Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct March 5 and a nice win in the minor Maryland Racing Media Stakes in February. She had off-the-board finishes in a trio of stakes races before that including a ninth in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes in November and a seventh in the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes in September. Pangburn has been a tad difficult to figure out but chases her first graded stakes score in so-so form. Albin Jimenez has the mount on the third betting choice from post 7.

Conquest Curlgirl 6-1 - Mark Casse trained filly has 11 career starts with three wins, two seconds and three third place finishes. She finished third in her only graded stakes action to date - the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in June, 2015 and has been decent since. Last time out was a third in the minor Mari Hulman George Stakes at Indiana Grand July 16 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score July 1 and a second and a win respectively in another two Allowance races at Churchill Downs. Conquest Curlgirl has hit the board in four straight ahead of this weekend and will be after her first stakes score from post 9 Saturday.

Kathballu 6-1 - Kenneth McPeek trained filly has three wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 16 career starts. She enters off a good second in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap at Arlington June 25, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs May 21 and a disappointing ninth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs May 7. She has placed in just one of eight career graded stakes tries but has certainly been trending upward the last couple of starts. She tries for her first stakes score from gate 10 Saturday with Didiel Osorio guiding her.

Innovative Idea 8-1 - Eoin Harty trained filly has five wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 15 career starts. She enters off her first stakes win - the minor Iowa Distaff at Prairie Meadow July 1 after an ugly ninth in the Grade 3 Arlington Matron Stakes May 28 and a fifth in the Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes in April. She also had an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Tampa Bay March 30, a fourth in the minor Wayward Lass Stakes on that track in January, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in December and a two race win streak - both Allowance races last year. Innovative Idea has been decent the last 20 or so months and hopes for her second straight stakes score from the rail Saturday. Jon Kenton Court has the mount at an intriguing 8-1 on the morning line.

Athena 8-1 - Helen Pitts trained filly has five wins and two seconds in 13 career starts. She ended her 2015 campaign on a three race win streak including the minor Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel Park in December and has been OK since. Last time out was a win in the minor Roxelana Stakes at Churchill Downs June 25 after a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track May 20 and a third in the minor Sugar Maple Stakes at Charles Town in April. Athena makes her graded stakes debut Saturday having won four of her last six starts overall - in decent form indeed. Joe Johnson has been tabbed to ride from post 3.

Crown D'Oro 15-1 - William Bradley trained filly has 11 career starts with just two wins and two second place finishes. She makes her stakes debut Saturday off a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming July 1 and an Allowance score June 5 - both results at Churchill Downs. She failed to place in her four starts prior to that. Crown D'Oro is in career best form ahead of this week although that's not saying much and will make her stakes debut from gate 2 with James Graham aboard.

Emmajestic 15-1 - has 16 career starts for trainer Michelle Lovell with three wins, five seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs July 1 after a ninth in a similar race at Keeneland in April and a fifth in the minor Esplanade Overnight Stakes at Fair Grounds in March. Her only graded stakes result to fate was a sixth in the 2015 Grade 2 Indiana Oaks. Emmajestic has placed in just two of her last five starts ahead of this week - in less-than-spectacular form for this race. Sophie Doyle will try to get her a first stakes win from gate 4 Saturday.

You Bought Her 15-1 - was very good at the beginning of 2015 - two wins and two seconds in her first four starts of that year including a win in the minor Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay in February and a second in the 2015 Inside Information Stakes. She has been just OK in six starts in 2016 - a sixth last time out in the minor Brandywine Stakes at Indiana Grand July 19 followed a third in the Grade 3 Chicago Handicap June 25, a sixth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff May 7, a second at Tampa Bay in April, a fourth in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes in March, a win by 4 1/4 lengths in the minor Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay February 20 and a second by a head in the minor Sunshine Millions Distaff January 16. You Bought Her now has eight wins, 11 seconds and seven third place finishes in 43 career starts and looks just OK ahead of this weekend. Jockey She chases her first graded stakes win Saturday from gate 8 with Francisco Torres in the saddle.

Fioretti 20-1 - defending runner-up in this race, Anthony Hamilton trained mare has 27 career starts with five wins, seven seconds and two third place finishes. She has failed to place in three starts ahead of this weekend - a fourth last time out in the minor Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadow June 30 followed a sixth in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs May 28 and an eleventh in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in April. She also had a third place finish in the minor Holiday Inaugural Stakes at Turfway Park December 4, a thirteenth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and a career best effort - a win in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland October 3. Fioretti hasn't been great lately but will try to channel her form from last summer from post 12 Saturday. She tries to snap a five race losing streak from gate 6 Saturday with Antioco Murgia getting the mount.

Academic Break 20-1 - has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 10 career starts for trainer Helen Pitts. She makes her stakes debut Saturday having failed to place in two of her last three starts overall. Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming July 1 after a third and a sixth respectively in similar races this past spring - all at Churchill Downs. She steps up in less-than-spectacular form and will have Leandro Goncalves in the reins from post 11.

Improv - Alternate Entry George Arnold trained filly has two wins and a second place finish in six career starts. She may make her stakes debut Saturday off an Allowance score at Churchill Downs June 30 and off-the-board finishes in similar races this past spring.

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2016 Groupie Doll Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Ellis Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:40 PM.