Home Journey speed threat in Mizdirection
ARCADIA, Calif. – Home Journey’s speed is her finest asset. She proved impossible to catch in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on April 11, the most prestigious win of her 12-race career.
A 4-year-old filly with five wins, Home Journey will be favored to win Friday’s $75,000 Mizdirection Stakes for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. The circumstances would seem ideal, but trainer Mike Puype expressed a slight hesitancy about Home Journey’s chances on Wednesday morning, wondering whether rain last week altered the condition of the course.
“The turf-course profile changed immensely last weekend,” Puype said. “The turf was slow and tiring.”
The Mizdirection Stakes is the seventh race on an eight-race program that begins at 4 p.m. Pacific. First post time on Fridays will be 4 p.m. through the remainder of the spring-summer meeting, which ends June 28.
KEY CONTENDERS
Home Journey (Last 3 Beyers: 92-93-94)
◗ Home Journey led throughout the Las Cienegas, holding a lead of 2 1/2 lengths at the eighth pole and winning by a length over the multiple stakes winner Go West Marie. Blingismything finished third and returned to win the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes on April 26.
◗ Home Journey won an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar last November. She was second to Go West Marie in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on the hillside in January. In both races, she held an early lead.
“She’s ruthlessly fast,” Puype said. “Anything short is good. Del Mar at five-eighths on turf will be good.”
Birdlover (Last 3 Beyers: 91-93-94)
◗ Birdlover returned to racing after a one-year layoff to win the restricted Wishing Well Stakes on the hillside turf course in February. In two subsequent races, both at a mile on turf, Birdlover won an optional claimer in March and was third, beaten a head, in the Wilshire.
◗ In four career starts on the hillside, Birdlover has never been worse than second, including a loss by a head in the 2014 Wishing Well. She is likely to race near the front.
Alexis Tangier (Last 3 Beyers: 76-90-83)
◗ Alexis Tangier has not started since finishing eighth in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf last October.
◗ She is unbeaten in two starts on the hillside turf course: a maiden race last June and the Unzip Me Stakes last September.
◗ Alexis Tangier often races from off the pace and could benefit if Home Journey and Amaranth hook up early.
◗ Victor Espinoza rode Alexis Tangier last fall and has the mount Friday.