Is Miss Nicolie a Cover Gal?

Those who liked Miss Nicolie in the Generous Portion a month ago at Del Mar will have to take a much shorter price on the filly in today’s $75,000 Cover Gal Stakes at Santa Anita.

Owned and bred by Ron Gomez and trained by Wayne Baker, the daughter of Walter Willy was almost 16-1 when she picked up her first victory in her fourth start on Sept. 4 with jockey David Flores.

Miss Nicolie, a California bred who had been fifth and second twice in her first three races for Gomez and Baker, will break from the outside in the field of eight in the Cover Gal.

Three of her opponents chased her home in the Generous Portion. Summer Wind Dancer, who will move off the rail today, was third; Servaline, a $2-million yearling purchase, was fourth; and the maiden Small Town Girl was fifth. Servaline and Small Town Girl are trained by Bob Baffert.

The remainder of the lineup is composed of fillies who made their most recent starts at Fairplex Park: Buttertart, Last Kiss, Zam Zam and Sky’s Snow.

Race of the day: Labamta Babe, who won the Santa Catalina Stakes earlier this year before being sidelined because of injury, will make his second start on the comeback trail in today’s eighth at Belmont Park. The race is a $50,000 allowance at one mile on the turf and it will be the 3-year-old Skywalker’s colt first start on the grass.

Who’s hot: Steve Jerkens. The trainer won with four of his first 11 starters at Belmont Park.

Who’s not: The field in today’s fourth at Santa Anita. The 11 original entrants were winless in 66 starts.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Lucky Spirit in the fifth, using Slewping, Scotty Wotty, Groom On The Run, Kedington and California Goal in the sixth and Miss Nicolie, Summer Wind Dancer and Servaline in the seventh.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/4. Money: Previous day/meet total: $17.40 Total money bet: $18.