Sunland: No clear favorite in Czaria

Determining the favorite and picking the winner of the $50,000 Czaria at Sunland Park on Saturday appear to be equally difficult tasks.
The six-furlong race for fillies and mares drew an evenly-matched field of nine, including Bab At The Bowster, who is making her first start since the Del Mar meet in August, and Pyrite on My Mind, an allowance winner at the meet out to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the $100,000 Harry Henson in her last start March 25.

Came West potentially could start as the favorite after winning an allowance prep for the Czaria, defeating a number of the runners she will face again on Saturday. She will break from the rail and has the natural speed to make use of the inside post. She also owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 73. Kelsi Purcell has the mount for owner-trainer Karl Pergola.

Bab At The Bowster is making her Sunland debut after staring her career in England and shipping to North America and racing in Southern California. She also will be making her first start on dirt, and shows a series of sharp works over the Sunland strip for Henry Dominguez, who trains the mare for Kirk and Judy Robison. The Czaria will be the first start since Aug. 13 for Bab At The Bowster, and Dominguez wins at 24 percent rate with horses returning from layoffs of 180 or more days.