Kiss Thru Fire gets new jockey in Miss Princess Handicap
Kiss Thru Fire, the Quarter Horse champion aged mare of 2021, will have a new rider when she makes her third start of 2022 in Sunday’s $50,000 Miss Princess Handicap for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos.
Ramon Sanchez takes the mount from Diego Herrera, who rode Kiss Thru Fire in her first two starts of the year – a win in the $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap at 400 yards on Jan. 2 and a third in the Denim N Diamonds Handicap at 350 yards on Feb. 26.
Herrera gained the mount on Kiss Thru Fire on the night of the Charger Bar Handicap after jockey Raul Valenzuela was unable to make a weight assignment.
The Miss Princess Handicap is run at 350 yards, which arguably is shorter than Kiss Thru Fire’s best distance. A 5-year-old who has won 10 of 27 starts, Kiss Thru Fire did win the 2021 Denim N Diamonds and the Sound Dash Handicap against much lesser rivals at 300 yards last October, but has won three stakes at 400 yards in the last year for owner and breeder Kirk Gentry and trainer Juan Aleman.
The Denim N Diamonds drew 11 entrants, but will have a safety limit of 10 runners. Herrera, currently ranked fifth in the standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, is booked to ride Cotton Cartel, who is the lone runner on the also-eligible list.
Kiss Thru Fire drew post 2 and must beat Denim N Diamonds winner Jet Wings One as well as Famous Shining Star, who won the Virginia Hyland Handicap for fillies and mares at 350 yards on March 13, and College Scandal, who was second for Gentry and Aleman in the Dashing Folly Stakes at 350 yards on April 10.
Jet Wings One, trained by Monty Arrossa, drew the outside post and will be ridden by Armando Cervantes. A 4-year-old, Jet Wings One has won 5 of 10 starts and may be favored in a competitive running of the Miss Princess Handicap.
Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.