Santa Anita: Mizdirection runs down Kindle late to capture Monrovia

ARCADIA, Calif.- Mizdirection closed from 10th in a field of 14 to beat males in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita back in November. She ran an equally thrilling race to win Sunday’s $150,000 Monrovia Stakes.

Of course, there was a vast difference in the purse – the BC Turf Sprint was worth $1 million - but Mizdirection was fully extended to catch a stubborn leader in Kindle to win the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes, run for fillies and mares over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

“She ran dynamite,” trainer Mike Puype said. “I knew we’d have our work cut out for us.”

Kindle, who won the Cool Air Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park in November, took an expected lead for the first half-mile, setting fractions of 21.70 and 43.50 seconds, holding an advantage of as much as 1 1/2 lengths. When the field crossed onto the main turf course, Kindle still led by that margin, but Mizdirection was beginning to close ground on the outside under jockey Mike Smith.

Mizdirection ($3.80) caught Kindle in the final 50 yards and won by a half-length in 1:11.94.

“She showed a lot of class at the end,” Smith said. “Kindle kind of showed she had another gear.”

Kindle finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Givine, who was followed by Byrama and Broken Dreams in the field of five. Curvy Cat was scratched earlier in the day.

The loss aboard Kindle was a stinger for jockey Edwin Maldonado.

“I hate getting beat at the wire,” Maldonado said. “I knew the filly to beat was coming off the Breeders’ Cup race. I looked over at the three-eighths pole and saw Mike Smith was right there. He knew I was on the one to beat and he did his job.”

Mizdirection, a 5-year-old mare by Mizzen Mast, races for a partnership that includes television sports commentator Jim Rome.

Mizdirection has won 8 of 13 starts and six stakes, including the 2012 Monrovia. She has earned $1,014,621, moving past the seven-figure mark in earnings with her win on Sunday.