Multiple Grade I stakes placed Charm the Maker, who comes off a
troubled fourth-place finish in the Grade II Bayakoa Handicap on Dec. 8,
heads a seven-horse field in Sunday’s $75,000 Paseana Handicap for
older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
Charm the Maker, trained by Ron McAnally, owned by his wife,
Debbie, and bred by both, was a solid third, beaten 1 ½ lengths, in the
Grade III Autumn Miss going a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 27.
Third in the Grade I Oak Leaf and second in the Grade I Hollywood
Starlet at two, Charm the Maker was winless from six starts last year.
The 4-year-old filly by Empire Maker is 5-1-1-1 at the Paseana
distance and will be ridden back by Garrett Gomez. Her overall record
is 10-2-2-2, with earnings of $262,040.
Fourth, beaten just 1 ¼ lengths going seven furlongs in the
Grade I La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, the Bob Baffert-trained Candrea looks
like a solid fit in the Paseana.
Second in the Grade I Oak Leaf at two, Candrea rallied gamely
two starts back to win a tough classified allowance going 6 ½ furlongs
on Nov. 29 at Betfair Hollywood Park. A 4-year-old Florida-bred filly
by Trippi, Candrea has earnings of $181,980 from a 11-3-2-0 mark and
will again be handled by Martin Garcia.
Baffert and Rafael Bejarano will have theft in mind Sunday with
the up and coming Distracting. The 4-year-old filly by Distorted Humor
won her first two starts sprinting and disappointed as the 3-5 favorite
in a second-condition allowance going six furlongs on Oct. 20 at Santa
Anita.
Baffert will remove blinkers as she tries a route of ground for
the first time from the rail in the Paseana. Owned and bred by Hill “n”
Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. and Edward McGhee, she has earnings of
$70,600.
The complete field for the Paseana Handicap, to be run as
Sunday’s third race, with jockeys and weights in post position order:
Distracting, Rafael Bejarano, 115; Curvy Cat, Corey Nakatani, 115; Charm
the Maker, Garrett Gomez, 118; Snow Fall, Tyler Baze, 117; Sweetly
Peppered, Juan Hernandez, 116; Great Hot, Alonso Quinonez, 118, and
Candrea, Martin Garcia, 117.