Zazu returns in Marjorie L. Everett

Zazu was knocked out of Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic contention after

developing inflammation in her shoulder last fall, but has been given plenty of

time to recover and prepare for her four-year-old debut, which will finally come

in Saturday's renamed

Marjorie L. Everett Handicap at Hollywood Park.

The $150,000, Grade 2 contest was previously called the Milady Handicap, a

race the renowned Zenyatta captured in 2008 and 2009. Zazu is campaigned by the same

owners, and the gray Tapit filly will try to bring the trophy back home to Jerry

and Ann Moss while taking on six rivals in her return from a more than

seven-month break.

While Zenyatta was trained by John Shirreffs, Zazu has been saddled by John

Sadler for her 15-race career thus far. During that period the filly has

captured three graded contests and placed in five black-type events, including

the Kentucky and Santa Anita Oaks, both Grade 1 events. Her stakes wins are

comprised of the Las Virgenes and Lady's Secret Stakes, also Grade 1s, and the

Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks.

Zazu was last seen taking the October 1 Lady's Secret, gaining a measure

of revenge when holding Ultra Blend to second on that day after being a neck

behind that rival when she won the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes. Zazu began

preparations for the Breeders' Cup immediately after the Lady's Secret, but came

out of a swift October 16 move with an inflamed shoulder. She returned to

the worktab in late March, and recently sped seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5 in her

final exercise for the Everett.

Garrett Gomez, aboard for the Hirsch, takes back the mount on Zazu from Joel

Rosario, who will be in Maryland to ride Creative Cause in the Preakness Stakes.

Zazu will have a tough task in her return Saturday as Include Me Out and

Ellafitz are both entered in the 1 1/16-mile Cushion Track contest.

The former is riding a two-race win streak that began in her seasonal bow.

Include Me Out pulled off a 4 1/4-length score in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes

on January 22, then wasn't seen until the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational

Stakes on March 17, which she conquered by 3 3/4 lengths. The four-year-old

daughter of Include proved with those wins that layoffs present no problems for

her, so the two-month break should have her ready to run under Joe Talamo.

Ellafitz will be looking to defeat not only Zazu but also turn the tables on

Include Me Out after having her three-race winning skein broken when fourth in

the Santa Margarita last out. Prior to that, the Bob Baffert pupil captured the

Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap, Paseana Handicap and Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes. The

Tiznow mare has been flying over the main dirt at Santa Anita in the mornings

and will get a rider switch to Rafael Bejarano for Saturday's race.

Earlier on the day, Killer Graces and Sister Moon will face-off as part of a

five-strong entry in the Grade 3, $100,000

Railbird Stakes sending sophomore fillies seven furlongs on the Cushion

Track.

Killer Graces will be returning to the main track following a third-placing

in the grassy, Grade 3 Providencia Stakes last month. The Congaree miss is no

stranger to the synthetic Cushion Track, though, scoring wins in the Grade 1

Hollywood Starlet Stakes and Cinderella Stakes last year.

Sister Moon broke her maiden by 9 3/4 lengths on August 21 at Del Mar,

setting a new Polytrack record of 1:02.70 for 5 1/2 furlongs on that occasion.

The dark bay daughter of Dixie Union returned to make her stakes bow in the

Anoakia Stakes on Santa Anita's dirt and pulled out a second, beaten only a

length, but easily found the winner's circle again in her three-year-old debut

on March 23 at that same venue, scoring by 5 1/2 lengths. Gomez will also be

taking over for Rosario on Sister Moon as she tries the Cushion Track for the

first time.