She's Not Here Seeks Yellow Ribbon Repeat

G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and St. George Farm Racing's She's Not Here did some of the best running of her career last summer at Del Mar and she'll look to find that form again July 16 in the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIT) at the seaside racetrack.

The Street Cry mare trained by Victoria Oliver won the 1 1/16-mile Yellow Ribbon as a 4-year-old last year and will look to defend her title at 5.

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She's Not Here came into last year's Yellow Ribbon off a standout turf allowance score, also on the grass at Del Mar, but hasn't finished better than sixth since. She wrapped up her 2015 campaign with a seventh-place run in the First Lady (gr. IT) at Keeneland and an eighth in the Matriarch (gr. IT) back at Del Mar, and hasn't been close in three graded tries this year in the Jenny Wiley (gr. IT), Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (gr. IIT), and the Arlington Matron (gr. III). Her five-race winless streak does come with some context, as three of the races have come against the recently untouchable Tepin.

The rest of the field of nine fillies and mares seeks six more graded stakes winners.

The main threat appears to be Hronis Racing's Royal Heroine (gr. IIT) winner Nancy From Nairobi, who broke through for her first graded score May 5, then followed that effort with a sixth-place run (only 2 1/2 length behind the winner Illuminant) in the Gamely (gr. IT) May 30.

The rest of the graded turf winners are looking to regain their top form.

Ike and Dawn Thrash's Her Emmynency, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) at Keeneland in October while trained by Mike Stidham, has yet to hit the board in three starts for new trainer Kristin Mulhall. Keri Belle closed to win the Megahertz (gr. IIIT) in January but is winless in three starts since, including an eighth in the Royal Heroine and a positive step forward last time out in the Gamely, when she finished third. Queen of The Sand last reached the winner's circle in the 2015 Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIIT), but has finished second in three grade II events since.

Prize Exhibit is the only multiple graded winner in the field, but her last score came five starts back in the Jan. 3 Monrovia (gr. IIT).

The wildcard of the graded-winning group is Seltzer Thoroughbreds' Finest City, winner of the Great Lady M. (gr. II) on dirt at Los Alamitos Race Course. The City Zip   filly finished third—2 1/4 lengths behind Beholder and three-quarters back of Stellar Wind—in the June 4 Vanity Mile (gr. I), also on dirt, and has only made one start on grass. She finished fourth in the Unzip Me, her stakes debut, down the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course in September.

Graded stakes-placed Fresh Feline and last-out allowance winner Majestic Heat complete the field.