Mizzyaan looks to earn stakes opportunity

DEL MAR, Calif. – By late Sunday afternoon, there may be a buzz surrounding the 3-year-old filly Mizzyaan, who starts in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar.

Mizzyaan won a maiden race at a mile on turf by 3 1/4 lengths on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita in her third start in the United States, by far her best effort. She closed from eighth of 11 to take a commanding lead in the final furlong.

A similar performance could lead to a stakes appearance at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that begins Dec. 26.

“Hopefully, we’ll see a repeat of what we saw the other day and a nice comfortable trip,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “I like the spacing from here to Santa Anita.”

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Owned and bred by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, Mizzyaan began her career in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year, going winless in two starts, including a second in the Group 3 UAE Oaks at 1 3/16 miles on dirt.

Mizzyaan did not race again until she finished fifth of 10 in a maiden race on dirt on Aug. 2 at Del Mar. Switched to turf, Mizzyaan has shown quick improvement, finishing second in her debut on the surface on Sept. 7 before the win on Oct. 5.

Mizzyaan has the pedigree to be an important filly. She is by Triple Crown winner Justify and out of Vale Dori, a three-time Group 1 or Grade 1 winner in Argentina and California from 2015-18.

“The pedigree is there and hopefully the ability is there,” McCarthy said.

Mizzyaan, who will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, drew post 3 in a field of 10 that includes Moment’s Pleasure, winner of the $152,500 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar in August. Moment’s Pleasure was winless in two starts at Santa Anita’s autumn meeting, finishing third in an allowance race after a wide trip on Sept. 29 and sixth of nine after a troubled run through the stretch in the restricted Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf Oct. 14.

The nine-race program begins with an allowance race for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf. Shuangxi, second in the Blue Sparkler Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on July 13 at Monmouth Park, will have her California debut in the allowance race for trainer Jeff Mullins.

An Irish-bred filly, Shuangxi has not raced since the Blue Sparkler. She has won 2 of 7 starts in Britain and in the United States.

Shaungxi, who starts from the outside in a field of six, tends to run as a stalker and will have an early target in Ivory Moon, winner of an allowance race at six furlongs on turf in her California debut Sept. 28 at Santa Anita for trainer Peter Miller.

Ivory Moon is entered to be claimed for $100,000 on Sunday.

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