Into The Mystic seeks first graded stakes victory in Megahertz

Irish-bred Into The Mystic, an impressive one mile turf winner in her U.S. debut for trainer Richard Mandella three starts back, will seek her first graded stakes victory as she, along with Tiz a Kiss, Prize Exhibit and Do The Dance, all figure prominently in Monday’s Grade III Megahertz Stakes, to be contested at one mile over the Santa Anita turf.

INTO THE MYSTIC: Originally entered to run a mile and one half on turf Sunday, this 5-year-old mare has a win and a second at a flat mile on turf and appears to be primed for a top effort in her fourth stateside start. Most recently fourth, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, in the Grade III Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 24, she’ll be cutting back in distance from 1 3/8 miles on grass and will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Flavien Prat. Owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, Inc., the daughter of Galileo has four wins from 10 overall starts—all of them on turf. Devoid of early foot, she would be flattered by a fast early pace on Monday.

TIZ A KISS: Although she had laid close to the pace in four previous starts, the Richard Baltas-trained Tiz a Kiss lagged far back early and ended up seventh, beaten four lengths by highly regarded Miss Temple City in the Grade I Matriarch Stakes going one mile on turf at Del Mar Dec. 4. A sharp second two starts back here in the Grade II Goldikova Stakes at a mile on turf Nov. 6, this hard knocking 7-year-old California-bred mare by Cee’s Tizzy rates a big look with Kent Desormeaux back aboard. Owned by Cicero Farms, LLC, she is 23-4-7-1 overall and seeks her first graded stakes win.

PRIZE EXHIBIT: A back to back graded stakes winner at age three, 5-year-old Prize Exhibit has been keeping good company but is winless in her last 10 starts. Squeezed at the break in the Grade I Matriarch, she ran well to be beaten five lengths by Miss Temple City while finishing eighth. A three-time graded winner, English-bred Prize Exhibit is trained by Jim Cassidy and has three wins from 12 tries at a mile on turf. Owned by D P Racing, she is 30-6-3-2 overall and is the leading money earner in the field with $577,045.

DO THE DANCE: A restricted stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 11, this 4-year-old daughter of Discreet Cat seeks her third win in a row in what will be her third graded stakes assignment. A gate to wire winner on Nov. 11, Do the Dance rallied from off the pace to take a one mile turf allowance here on Oct. 21. With regular rider Tyler Baze back aboard, the Gary Sherlock trainee can go to the front or stalk, depending upon the way the race sets up. Owned by Tom Mansor, Purple Shamrock Racing or Sherlock, she is 12-3-1-1 at a mile on turf and has four wins from 19 overall starts.

THE GRADE III MEGAHERTZ STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PST

1.  Do The Dance—Tyler Baze—120

2.  Prize Exhibit—Mike Smith—118

3.  Poster Girl—A.O. Solis—118

4.  Jeremy’s Legacy—Mario Gutierrez—118

5.  Kenriya—Julien Auge—118

6.  Tiz A Kiss—Kent Desormeaux—118

7.  Into The Mystic—Flavien Prat—118