Kresgeville tackles talented shippers

Kresgeville will try to do the home team proud when she deals with a number of talented invaders in Saturday's $40,000 Mesa Handicap at Turf Paradise.

The 6 1/2-furlong race drew a field of 10 fillies and mares.

Kresgeville has done most of her best work at Turf Paradise, where she has registered three of her four career wins. However, she showed last spring she could step up in class when she shipped to Hollywood Park and posted a 30-1 upset in the Manhattan Beach Handicap. That race came on the turf, but she's likely even better on the dirt.

Kresgeville rallied strongly as the 9-5 favorite to be third in the Excess Energy at Turf Paradise on Dec. 3. That race, also on the main track, was only 5 1/2 furlongs, so this longer trip can help if she employs similar closing tactics. She has drawn on the outside for trainer Lyman Rollins, and that should play well for her stalking style.

No fewer than three shippers come into the Mesa with the credentials to win. Fortunately ships in from Southern California for trainer Tim Yakteen. She most recently finished fourth in a grass sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, her first start since July. Scott Stevens rides at high weight of 123 pounds.

Capitola comes in from northern California. Trainer Dan Morgan claimed her out of a second-place finish in a $20,000 claimer at Golden Gate on Nov. 30.

Miss Hester ships in from New Mexico. She won her last two, both at Zia Park, and makes her first start for new trainer Don Mills.

Two other locals could fare well. Shimmering Heat came back from nearly six months off with two fine outings in a row, including a romping win on Nov. 23. Smarty Me just romped by almost eight on Nov. 28 over allowance foes and may have turned the corner.