Eight fillies and mares will compete in the $100,000 Wilshire Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park on Saturday, a race devoid of many of the major jockeys in Southern California as they are in Kentucky for the Derby.
Run over a mile on the turf, the Wilshire has drawn its defending champion, Diamond Diva, who has not started since winning last July’s rich CashCall Mile (gr. II), where the daughter of Dansili (GB) nosed out Ventura, who has gone on to become one of the top mares in the country. David Flores will ride Diamond Diva, who is two for three with a second over Hollywood’s turf course and was a stakes winner in England prior to coming to the United States.
Charming Legacy (IRE) is a classy six-year-old mare looking to get stakes win number one here. With four wins and six seconds in thirteen starts, Charming Legacy figures prominently in the mix and shouldn’t be ignored. Tyler Baze will ride the mare who won a one mile turf allowance at Santa Anita in January.
Miss Singhsix (IRE) was second in the April 11th Santa Lucia Handicap, her best of three losing All Weather starts this year. The Singspiel (IRE) filly is trained by Patrick Gallagher and is coming off of a quick five furlong turf workout on April 26th. Alex Solis has the call, while Jose Valdivia, Jr. rides the second Gallagher entrant, Kayd Kodaun (IRE).
Belmont Cat (NZ) won the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. II) in March and has won two of three starts in this country since arriving from New Zealand. The daughter of Felix the Cat is trained by John Sadler and would not surprise bettors today, as the mare who was a listed stakes winner in her native country has proven to be equal to this caliber of field.
Bel Air Sizzle ran last Saturday for trainer Barry Abrams, finishing fifth in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes for state-breds. Tizfiz finished a disappointing seventh in the Santa Barbara Handicap last out after winning the San Gorgonio by a nose at long odds. In My Glory and Gorgeous Goose complete the field.
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Emily Shields is a regular contributor to Case the Race. She has written for California Thoroughbred, Churchill Downs media, and international racing magazines.
