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Zenyatta tops Milady; Tiago and Heatseeker resume rivalry in Californian Unbeaten ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), a smashing 4 1/2-length winner of the Apple Blossom H. (G1) in her last outing, is clearly the one to beat in Saturday's $175,000 Milady H. (G2). The 1 1/16-mile event will share the spotlight at Hollywood Park with the $250,000 Californian S. (G2), which features another exciting match-up between Grade 1 winners TIAGO (Pleasant Tap) and HEATSEEKER (Ire) (Giant's Causeway). Zenyatta towers over her six rivals in the Milady. Four-for-four in her career, the four-year-old debuted last November at Hollywood and captured her first three efforts over Cushion Track in California, including an easy score in the El Encino S. (G2) two starts back at Santa Anita. She made a seamless transition to dirt at Oaklawn Park in the Apple Blossom, blowing past champion Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) with a powerful rally from off the pace, and the dark bay miss will face a far less accomplished group as the 122-pound highweight on Saturday. Mike Smith will retain the mount on the John Shirreffs runner. KRIS' SIS (Forestry), who exits a runner-up in the grassy Wilshire H. (G3), will lead the post parade under a 113-pound impost that includes Julio Garcia. Multiple Grade 2 queen FOXYSOX (GB) (Foxhound), winner of the grassy Santa Barbara H. (G2) most recently, will break to her immediate outside. She'll carry 117 pounds and Victor Espinoza. Next comes Santa Lucia H. runner-up MODEL (Giant's Causeway), Alonso Quinonez, 113; Grade 1 winner ROMANCE IS DIANE (In Excess [Ire]), Michael Baze, 118; Wilshire third-placer LA TEE (Broken Vow), Tyler Baze, 113; Zenyatta; Santa Maria H. (G1) victress DOUBLE TROUBLE (Brz) (Wild Event), Rafael Bejarano, 116; and Hawthorne H. (G3) runner-up SANTA TERESITA (Lemon Drop Kid), Joseph Talamo, 116. The Californian figures to be far more compelling. A small but talented field of five will contest the 1 1/8-mile test, which serves as a prep for the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) on June 28, and Tiago and Heatseeker will meet for the third time this season. Heatseeker got the best of his rival when capturing the prestigious Santa Anita H. (G1) two starts back, but Tiago exacted a measure of revenge when posting a game head decision in the Oaklawn H. (G2) last time out. Rafael Bejarano will guide the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Heatseeker, and Smith returns to the saddle on the Jerry and Ann Moss-owned Tiago, who shares the same connections with Zenyatta. SURF CAT (Sir Cat) adds even more depth to the strong field. A six-time Grade 2 victor, the Bruce Headley pupil exits a half-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Mervyn Leroy H. (G2) at Hollywood. The six-year-old is approaching the $1 million-mark in earnings, and the versatile horse excels in both sprints and routes, capturing the seven-furlong San Carlos H. (G2) three starts ago. Alex Solis, who has been aboard for all of Surf Cat's starts since he broke his maiden in April 2005, will once again be in the irons. Tiago will spot Heatseeker four pounds as the 126-pound top weight, and Surf Cat gets in light at 118. SHAMDINAN (Fr) (Dr Fong), winner of the Secretariat S. (G1) and second in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), will make his synthetic debut in the Californian, and Swaps S. (G2) runner-up ALBERTUS MAXIMUS (Albert the Great), a sharp 6 1/4-length allowance winner most recently for Gary Mandella, rounds out the line-up. In post order, the contestants are Heatseeker; Tiago; Shamdinan, Jon Court, 116; Surf Cat; and Albertus Maximus, Corey Nakatani, 116. Hollywood will also offer the $75,000 Manhattan Beach S. A cast of six sophomore fillies will sprint six grassy furlongs, and MINI DO (Hold for Gold) and STARRY PURSUIT (Van Nistelrooy), who both exit allowance/optional claiming victories over the course, are the top draws.
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