Harmonious returns to her favorite turf course when she
makes her first start in nearly five months in the $150,000 Royal Heroine Mile
Monday at Hollywood Park.
A Grade II for older fillies and mares, the Royal Heroine is
the eighth of nine races on a special holiday program. Post time is 1 p.m.
Owned by breeders Pam, Marty and Emily Wygod and trained by
John Shirreffs, Harmonious is 3-for-3 on the local grass, including a 1 ¼
length victory in the Grade I American Oaks last July 3.
A 4-year-old Dynaformer filly out of the Storm Cat mare Jade
Tree, Harmonious has won four of nine and earned $550,420. The Royal Heroine
will be her first race since she finished third, 6 ¾ lengths behind winner Always
a Princess, in the Grade II La Canada Stakes Feb.13 at Santa Anita.
Defeated by a head by Dubawi Heights in the Grade I Gamely
May 30, Celtic Princess will cut back an eighth of a mile in distance Monday.
Trained by A.C. Avila for owner-breeder Jessica Coudelaria, the 7-year-old
Brazilian bred has won five of 14 and earned $240,624. The daughter of Public
Purse and the Formal Dinner mare Exotic Dinner won a pair of Group I races in
her native country.
Wild Mia will try for her second stakes win of the
Spring/Summer meet for Rosemont Stud Syndicate and trainer Tom Proctor.
In her first Hollywood Park start, the 4-year-old Wildcat
Heir filly out of the El Sultan mare Love Mia won the Redondo Beach June 5. The
neck victory was the fourth in 12 races for the gray, who has earned $228,174.
Trainer Julio Canani, who has won the Royal Heroine a record
three times, will attempt to add to the total when he saddles Givine.
A 4-year-old French bred daughter of Blackdoun and the
Double Bed mare Viguerie, Givine enters off a win – a come-from-behind score in
the Great Lady M. Stakes at six furlongs May 25.
She is proven at a mile, having won four times at the
distance in France. Givine is 6-for-10 and has a bankroll of $145,432.
Canani’s previous wins in a race named for a mare who won
the 1984 Breeders’ Cup Mile and four other stakes at Hollywood Park were in
succession – Tuzla (1998-1999) and Tranquility Lake (2000).
Andina, who finished second in the Redondo Beach, will seek
her second victory of 2011 for owner Arnold Zetcher LLC and trainer Ben Cecil.
The Irish bred has won three of 13. The 4-year-old Singspiel filly out of the
Rahy mare Fragrant Oasis has earned $207,113.
Late Cuddle will try to give trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his
second win in this race in three years, following 2009 winner Tuscan Evening.
Owned by M.K. Johnston, Jr., the 6-year-old New Zealand bred
mare has won six of 20, earning $101,256. She is by Postponed and the Westminster mare
Embraced.
The Royal Heroine will be her first start since she finished
seventh of 10 in the Grade II Buena Vista Handicap Feb. 21 at Santa Anita. Her most
recent win was over the Hollywood
Park turf. Late Cuddle
won an allowance during the Oak Tree season last Oct. 16.
From inside out, the field for the Royal Heroine Mile:
Andina, Garrett Gomez rides, 117 pounds; Harmonious, Joel Rosario, 123; Late
Cuddle, Tyler Baze, 117; Wild Mia, David Flores, 117; Givine, Joe Talamo, 117
and Celtic Princess, Rafael Bejarano, 117.