Mizdirection seeking Monrovia title defense off BC win

Fresh off a lifetime-best victory versus males in the Breeders' Cup Turf

Sprint on November 3, Mizdirection will attempt to run her record at 6 1/2

furlongs down Santa Anita's Camino Real Turf Course to a perfect four-for-four

as she goes for a title defense in Sunday's Grade 2, $150,000

Monrovia Stakes for older fillies and mares.

Owned in-part by sports-talk superstar Jim Rome's Jungle Racing and trained

by Mike Puype, Mizdirection drew the outside post in a field of six. The

five-year-old daughter of Mizzen Mast has had four works since her Breeders' Cup

triumph, with her most recent drill on New Year's Day going five furlongs on

turf in a bullet 1:00 1/5 around the dogs.

A winner of last year's Monrovia under Garrett Gomez, Mizdirection will be

ridden Sunday by Mike Smith, who was aboard for the Breeders' Cup win and has

never been beaten on her in three tries.

Although Mizdirection will be favored on Sunday, the Monrovia is certainly no

walkover. Trainer Gary Mandella will send out the speedy Kindle, who was an

impressive gate-to-wire winner of the Cool Air Stakes going six furlongs on turf

at Hollywood Park November 23, finishing 2 3/4 lengths in front of Broken

Dreams, who will also suit up on Sunday.

In her only try down the hill, Kindle opened up early by 5 1/2 lengths in the

Grade 3 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes on October 20, finishing second, beaten a

half-length by Broken Dreams. The Indian Charlie five-year-old captured the

Bangles and Beads Stakes prior to that and will keep Edwin Maldonado, aboard for

the those three races, in the saddle on Sunday.

Trainer Tom Proctor will send out the afore-mentioned Broken Dreams, a Glen

Hill Farm homebred who sports a 4-2-2-0 mark over the course. The seven-year-old

Florida-bred daughter of Broken Vow could be making her final start on Sunday,

as she is due to be bred this spring. Besides successfully defending her title

in the Senator Ken Maddy, Broken Dreams also boasts a victory in the Osunitas

Stakes from last season.

Trainer Simon Callaghan has the highly regarded Byrama primed and ready for

the Monrovia. Originally scheduled to face males in this past Saturday's Grade 3

Daytona, Byrama was scratched in favor of the Monrovia.

A winner of the Unzip Me Stakes down the hill on September 29, Byrama was a

fast finishing third, beaten three-quarters of a length as the 2-1 favorite, in

the Maddy. The British-bred daughter of Byron, who has a 3-2-0-1 mark down the

hill, will again be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.

Curvy Cat, a four-year-old Ministers Wild Cat filly who was third while

making her stakes bow in the Skillful Joy on December 1, and Givine, a

stakes-winning French-bred daughter of Blackdoun, complete the Monrovia field.

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