Counterbalance Upsets Favorite Himika to Win China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita

Himika went to post as the even-money favorite in the $100,000 China Doll Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita. She never saw Counterbalance coming until it was too late.

The 3-year-old filly by Caravaggio rallied past Himika in the stretch to win the listed one-mile turf stakes for sophomore fillies by two lengths, stopping the clock at 1:33.74. The upset returned $7.20 on a $2 win bet, a result that felt unlikely given Himika's favoritism but made perfect sense to anyone tracking Counterbalance's trajectory under trainer Michael McCarthy.

It was Counterbalance's stakes debut, just her fifth career start, and the partnership between filly and jockey Kimura has been constant throughout. Kimura has been in the irons for all five of her races dating to a dirt debut at Del Mar last July. She entered the China Doll off a maiden win going 6 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Jan. 13, where she pressed the pace and kicked clear to win as the 2-1 favorite.

The one-mile distance was the question mark. When Counterbalance tried a mile in September, it went sideways. "She had pressure on her inside and outside," Kimura said. "She never got comfortable." The solution was deliberately low-key: a solo work the week before the China Doll, easy on the bridle, designed specifically to take the edge off a filly who can be difficult to manage.

It worked. "She was more off the bridle down the backside," Kimura said. "Obviously it was a small field, but she was nice and relaxed and I didn't have to fight her. That helped her finish up strong." The difference between the September mile and Sunday's was temperament, not talent.

McCarthy has always known the talent was there. He described her early career honestly: "She trained well over the summer as a 2-year-old and we were excited to get her started. She had worked well enough on the dirt to go ahead and warrant a start on there. We found out her first time out she had a little immaturity." The two-word summary McCarthy offered for his filly: "She's feisty."

Counterbalance is bred and owned by Jerry and John Amerman, who also bred her. She is out of Out of Balance, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Balance.

The China Doll result positions Counterbalance as a legitimate presence in the sophomore filly turf division. McCarthy has a filly who, when relaxed, can run past even-money favorites without being asked twice.