African Rose, Belleofthebeach square off again in Czaria Handicap

Uncoupled stablemates African Rose and Belleofthebeach, who have split two close decisions since December, will clash again in Saturday’s $50,000 Czaria Handicap at Sunland Park. The six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares drew a field of seven.

The 4-year-old Belleofthebeach rallied from fourth in the stretch to beat African Rose by a neck going 5 1/2 furlongs in the Bold Ego Handicap on Dec. 20. In the most recent race for both Justin Evans-trained horses, African Rose held off Belleofthebeach by a nose in the one-mile Harry Henson Handicap on March 22.

Belleofthebeach will be ridden for the first time by Elvin Gonzalez. Although he has not had a good meet at Sunland, winning with just eight of his first 101 mounts, Gonzalez was 6 for 15 (40 percent, $2.65 return on investment) with non-graded stakes mounts for Evans during the past year.

Evans also will saddle a third horse, Prettypriceygirl. Formerly based in Southern California, Prettypriceygirl finished 1 1/2 lengths behind her stablemates in her Sunland debut. This will be her first dirt sprint since she won her maiden at Santa Anita in January 2013.

Bright Town beat African Rose by 6 1/2 lengths two starts ago while winning the 6 1/2-furlong El Diario Handicap. She returns to sprinting after an extremely wide trip in the Harry Henson.

◗ The program also features the Grade 2, $100,000 Bank of America New Mexico Challenge for Quarter Horses going 440 yards. The race rematches Jesscuzican and Jess Featureme Quick, who were a nose apart as the one-two finishers in the Grade 3 West Texas Maturity at 400 yards on March 1.

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KEY CONTENDERS

African Rose (Last 3 Beyers: 78-58-74)

◗ Nine of her 14 victories have come at Sunland. Although she is 5 for 12 going six furlongs, African Rose has lost each of the four times she has been asked to cut back from a mile to a sprint, including a third-place finish as the 6-5 favorite in the 2013 Czaria following a daylight win in the Harry Henson.

Belleofthebeach (Last 3 Beyers: 78-52-80)

◗ She will be making the third start of her current form cycle, which often produces a peak performance. Three of her six wins have come at Sunland.

Bright Town (Last 3 Beyers: 75-74-72)

◗ The last time she cut back from a mile to a sprint, Bright Town romped by 3 1/4 lengths. She was sixth in last year’s Czaria.