Medoro, Zona Verde Square Off Again in Autumn Miss

Without the presence of Iscreamuscream , familiar rivals Medoro  and Zona Verde  will each have a fair shake at taking the prize in the Oct. 27 $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita Park.

C R K Stable's Medoro has gotten the better of Zona Verde in three of their last four meetings, though both fillies finished behind Iscreamuscream in the San Clemente Handicap (G2T) and Del Mar Oaks (G1T). Trained by Peter Eurton, the daughter of Honor Code  exits a runner-up effort in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Oaks, where she appeared to lack the same late kick she had displayed when capturing the China Doll and Providencia Stakes (G3T) earlier in the season.

Unraced since the Aug. 17 Del Mar Oaks, a fresher Medoro lines up for battle under regular rider Antonio Fresu. In her time away from the races she has lit up the work tab, turning in three consecutive bullet works over the Santa Anita oval, including a :46 half-mile Oct. 13.

Zona Verde, one of three entered Sunday for trainer Phil D'Amato, should relish the return to a mile in the Autumn Miss. A hard-luck fifth last time going 6 1/2 furlongs down the hill in the Unzip Me Stakes after throwing her head at the start, Zona Verde has been the model of consistency for her connections. A grade 3 winner as a 2-year-old, the Calyx  filly has won or hit the board in five stakes.

Leading rider Juan Hernandez retains the mount.

D'Amato will also saddle Asean , a stakes winner in Ireland who makes her first start since an 11th-place finish in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T), and Circle of Trust , winner of the Honeymoon Stakes (G3T) two starts back.