Crisane tries to alter her pattern

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Lloyd Mason hopes his talented 2-year-old filly Crisane will alter her performance pattern when she meets five rivals, including stablemate Lovin Glory, in Thursday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $62,500 optional claiming sprint at six furlongs.

won her debut, her third start, and her fifth start. This is her sixth start, and Mason hopes she can finally record back-to-back victories.

It's not that Crisane has run poorly in her other two starts. After winning her debut in a $20,000 maiden race, Crisane finished third against allowance rivals. She came back to win a starter allowance, then ran second in her stakes debut after taking the lead in deep stretch.

Crisane may have turned a corner with a nine-length victory at Hollywood Park on Dec. 2 after a seven-week freshener.

Mason hopes Crisane likes Southern California because his immediate goal is the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks at Santa Anita on Jan. 29.

Thursday's race could be a prep for that stakes. Crisane's primary rivals, debut winner Laguna Pointe and Queenmab'sdaughter, are also eligible for the Oaks.

Lovin Glory won her debut by five even though she was spooked by crowd noise nearing the eighth pole and took a misstep. She never changed leads in her last race, but Mason believes an abscessed tooth caused that problem.