Hollywood Park: Procurement to Sir Beaufort

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Procurement will start in the $200,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 after winning an allowance race on Thursday, his third win of the year.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Procurement (5-2) closed from last in a field of seven to win a one-mile turf race by a half-length over Fury Kapcori. Owned by Glen Hill Farm, Procurement is trained by Tom Proctor. The Sir Beaufort will be Procurement’s ninth appearance in a stakes this year. He won the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita in April and was later fourth in a division of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and fifth in the Twilight Derby.

“He’s had a good year and we’ll go from there,” Proctor said, referring to the Sir Beaufort.

Sunday, Proctor starts the 3-year-old filly Wishing Gate in the $250,000 Matriarch Stakes against older fillies and mares.

Wishing Gate has won two stakes this year – the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar and the Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita in October. Owned by Glen Hill, Wishing Gate was second to Matriarch entrant Discreet Marq in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August.

Promising career start

Mesana was a convincing winner of a maiden race in her debut on Thursday, confirming trainer John Shirreffs’s opinion of the 3-year-old filly.

“She’s been a favorite because she’s so talented,” Shirreffs said on Friday morning.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Mesana closed from fifth in a field of six to win a six-furlong maiden race by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:09.50. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

By Mizzen Mast, Mesana was slow to begin her career because of “immaturity,” Shirreffs said.

“I thought she ran very well,” Shirreffs said. “Being a Mizzen Mast, she can handle longer distances.”

Shirreffs said it was unclear whether Mesana would have another start before the end of the meeting on Dec. 22. The filly is owned by Woodford Racing and Mathis Stable and was purchased for $135,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale.