Alpha Kitten appears back in form

Alpha Kitten may have regained the form that made her a graded stakes winner in 2009.

That is trainer John Sadler's opinion as Alpha Kitten nears Saturday's $60,000 Desert Stormer Handicap at Hollywood Park.

After she finished second and third as the favorite in two starts at Santa Anita earlier this year, Sadler is confident that Alpha Kitten can win the Desert Stormer, which is run over six furlongs for fillies and mares.

"I think she's the best horse," Sadler said. "She's been training really well."

Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, Alpha Kitten is making her third start of 2010. She won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over seven furlongs in early 2009 but emerged with a cannon bone injury.

What might make winning the Desert Stormer easier is the absence of a Sadler-trained stablemate. In an allowance race on Feb. 24, Alpha Kitten finished second to the multiple stakes winner Emmy Darling. In the Grade 3 Las Flores Handicap on April 4, Alpha Kitten finished third, a half-length behind Sadler's Mona de Momma, who later won the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 1.

Race tactics in the Desert Stormer could work in Alpha Kitten's favor. She races from just off the pace and will chase Free Flying Soul, who was second in the Las Flores and fourth in the Humana Distaff.

The Desert Stormer will be the 2010 debut of Moon de French, who has won 3 of 5 starts. Trainer Bob Baffert said Moon de French "needs to go farther. I need to get a race into her or sit on her for another month. It's a tough spot."

Bejarano handed five-day suspension

Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano has been given a five-day suspension for his winning ride aboard She'll Heir in Wednesday's $70,200 Cinderella Stakes.

She'll Heir ($3.40) closed between horses in early stretch, severely bumping Rockin Heather, who faded to finish seventh. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the bumping but ruled that the incident did not change the order of finish.

Bejarano's suspension is scheduled to start Wednesday and continue through June 20.

She'll Heir is unbeaten in two starts for David and Holly Wilson and trainer Vladimir Cerin.