Classy Harmonize ships west again for Royal Heroine

Trainer Bill Mott’s classy Harmonize heads a field of eight older fillies and mares going one mile on turf this Saturday at Santa Anita. Most recently second in the Grade II Mrs. Revere Stakes going a mile and a sixteenth on turf at Churchill Downs Nov. 25, Harmonize figures to get plenty of competition from the likes of sharp local runners Pretty Girl, Sweet Charity and Lady Valeur.

HARMONIZE: A winner of the Grade I Del Mar Oaks three starts back on Aug. 20, this Kentucky-bred daughter ships west from Payson Park Training Center in south Florida to make her 4-year-old debut on Saturday. A minor stakes winner going a mile on turf at Gulfstream Park in March, 2016, she is one for two at the Royal Heroine distance. Although typically ridden from off the pace, she’s been idle for over four months and could be up closer in the Royal Heroine under regular rider Junior Alvarado. Owned by Larkin Armstrong, she’s 11-4-4-1 overall with earnings of $621,860.

PRETTY GIRL: Second behind talented Goodyearforroses in her last two starts, the Robert J. Frankel Stakes on Dec. 31 and the Grade II Santa Ana Stakes on March 12, this 6-year-old Argentine-bred mare will back in distance a furlong as she goes for her third win in four tries at one mile on turf. A respectable seventh in her U.S. debut, the Grade I Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 13, she has come to hand for Lobo and will be making her third start under his care on Saturday. Owned by Stud RDI, LLC and Bonne Chance Farm, LLC, Pretty Girl is 9-4-2-1 and has earnings of $178,491.

SWEET CHARITY: This 4-year-old French-bred filly rates a big chance as she cuts back in distance a furlong following a close third place finish in the Grade II Santa Ana Stakes on March 12. Trained by John Sadler, she was a solid second in her two previous turf starts for him, at a mile and one eighth on Jan. 1 and a flat mile on Feb. 3. Highly regarded, she was off at 4-1 in the Santa Ana with Flavien Prat, but will be ridden for the first time on Saturday by Santiago Gonzalez. Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, she has a second and a third from two tries at one mile on turf and is 9-2-4-2 overall.

LADY VALEUR: Trained by Paddy Gallagher, she was attentive to the early pace in the Grade I American Oaks, run at a mile and one eighth over a “good” turf here on Dec. 31 and finished third, beaten a half length at odds of 17-1. With a pair of seconds from three starts at one mile on turf, she enters the Royal Heroine rested and dangerous for her owner, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Although she is multiple graded stakes-placed, with an overall mark of 12-3-4-1, she seeks her first graded win on Saturday and will be ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat.

THE GRADE II, $200,000 ROYAL HEROINE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 11 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Juno—Kent Desormeaux—120

2. Sweet Charity—Santiago Gonzalez—120

3. Prize Exhibit—Mike Smith—122

4. Lady Valeur—Flavien Prat—120

5. Pretty Girl—Victor Espinoza—120

6. Harmonize—Junior Alvarado—124

7. Hillhouse High—Corey Nakatani—120

8. Mokat—Rafael Bejarano—122