Hollywood Park: Mechaya, off for over a year, resumes promising career

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – When the filly Mechaya finished third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in September 2012, trainer John Sadler walked away from the race believing she had no excuse, simply was third best. And while that may have been true, the race has looked a lot better as the months have passed. Executiveprivilege was first, Beholder second.

“That’s turned out to be a pretty good group,” Sadler said.

While Executiveprivilege and, especially, Beholder have been in the spotlight throughout 2013, Mechaya has been on the sidelines. A cannon bone fracture has kept her away from the races for more than 53 weeks, but she finally gets back into action in Friday’s featured seventh race at Betfair Hollywood Park. According to Sadler, she’s ready to roll.

“She was ready to go the first week of the meet,” Sadler said. “I entered her in a second-level allowance, above her conditions, but it didn’t fill. She’s had plenty of training. It’s not like she’s going to need one.”

Mechaya ran well fresh last year, recording a fast debut win against maidens at Del Mar and earning the best Beyer Speed Figure of her career, a 93. After finishing third in the Del Mar Debutante, she was second in an allowance race at Santa Anita – a race Beholder used as a prep for her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies – and then she faded to third as the heavy favorite in the Glorious Song at Woodbine.

Mechaya subsequently fractured a cannon bone.

“She needed surgery,” Sadler said. “We put a screw in there to pull it together, left it in for three months, then took it out.”

Sadler said he purposely brought Mechaya back slowly, but that in recent weeks she’s been “training really well.”

Rafael Bejarano, who was aboard for Mechaya’s debut win, has the mount.

Mechaya has five rivals in the 6 1/2-furlong race, a $48,000 first-level allowance that drew three 3-year-olds and three 4-year-olds.

Spring Breeze comes into the race following an excellent runner-up try in a turf sprint down the hill at Santa Anita, her second start since being claimed for $20,000 by trainer Doug O’Neill.

Tappingintherain just recorded a late-running victory against maidens at Santa Anita, her second start since returning from a brief freshening.

Gifting, third last time out in a similar first-level allowance at Santa Anita, returns to her favorite track. She beat maidens and was second in an allowance race at Hollywood Park during the spring meeting.

Mum’s Truckee was fifth as the favorite in a similar spot last time out after making an early run while wide. Victor Espinoza takes over as her rider.

Peppy Bolly tries open company after beating California-breds last time out.