Citizen Kitty, a double stakes winner at the meet, tops a list of 16 older fillies and mares nominated to the $65,000 Emerald Distaff on Sunday, Aug. 13.

At 1 1/8 miles, the Distaff is the season’s top event for fillies and mares and co-featured with the 82nd running of the $200,000 Longacres Mile (Grade 3).

Trainer Jeff Metz and owners Bruce and Cass Maller (Highlander Racing Stable) have enjoyed tremendous success in the filly and mare division at Emerald Downs. In 2013, their E Z Kitty reeled off four stakes wins, including a 3½-length victory in the Emerald Distaff and was the Washington Horse of the Year.

Although Citizen Kitty hasn’t attained that status yet, the 5-year-old Proud Citizen mare is definitely improving; she has four wins and two seconds in her last six starts at Emerald Downs.

Citizen Kitty enters the Distaff as the best older filly or mare at Emerald Downs, scoring wins in the Hastings Stakes and Boeing Stakes and finishing runner-up in the Washington State Legislators Stakes. She earned a career high 82 Beyer for her 4½-length Boeing victory and dispelled any notions that her best races are around one turn.

Princess Katie, Princess Kennedy and Pyscho Sister, second third and fourth in the Boeing, are ready for another crack at Citizen Kitty. Princess Kennedy captured the 2016 Washington Oaks at 1 1/8 miles, and Princess Katie has run well over this strip, winning the 2016 Irish Day Stakes and finishing second to Citizen Kitty in the Boeing.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, a three-time winner of the Distaff, nominated Plastered, Street Surrender and Wealthy Shipman. Plastered finished a close third with a 90 Beyer in the June 4 Santa Lucia at 1 1/16 miles, and Street Surrender has finished in the money in four straight California stakes including a win in the Southern Truce at Santa Anita.

Four 3-year-olds are nominated to the race: Little Dancer, Top Quality, Blazinbeauty and Reginella. Little Dancer won the nine-furlong Washington Oaks, Top Quality captured the one-mile Irish Day Stakes, and Blazinbeauty won the 2016 Gottstein Futurity at 1 1/16 miles.

$65,000 Emerald Distaff, Sunday, Aug. 13

3-Year-Olds & Up Fillies & Mares, 1 & 1/8 Mile

Horse, owner, trainer

Blazinbeauty (3/KY) Darrin Paul, Frank Lucarelli

Chronologic’sghost (5/TX) J.C. Racing Stable, Manuel Badilla

Citizen Kitty (5/WA) Highlander Racing Stable LLC, Jeff Metz

Little Dancer (3/KY) Ron Schmid, Doris Harwood

Miss Mo Kelly (5/KY) Kellyn Gorder, Kellyn Gorder

Plastered (4/KY) Hollendorfer, Team Green, Schlaich, Todaro, Jerry Hollendorfer

Princess Katie (4/BC) Ernest Chu, Robert Gilker

Princess Kennedy (4/KY) David Thorner, Tom Wenzel

Profound Moment (4/KY) M. Dedomenico and Muddy Waters, Mike Puhich

Protective Shield (4/KY) Tom Grether Farms Inc., Robert Lawrence

Pyscho Sister (4/WA) Royal Victory Thoroughbreds, Tim McCanna

Reginella (3/CAL) Luigi DiPietro or Diana DiPietro, Blaine Wright

Street Surrender (4/KY) West Point Thoroughbreds, Jerry Hollendorfer

Top Quality (3/KY) Ten Broeck Farm, Blaine Wright

Victress (4/KY) Victoria & Robert Gilker, Robert Gilker

Wealthy Shipman (5/KY) Hollendorfer LLC, Jerry Hollendorfer