Shadwell homebred Habaya, second most recently in the JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes at Keeneland, invades Hollywood Park for the $100,000 Miesque (gr. IIIT) for 2-year-old fillies on the lawn Nov. 28.
The one-mile event, the first of six graded grass stakes over the long weekend at Hollywood Park, drew 12 lightly-tested fillies. There is one stakes winner in the field, Emmy Darling, one of two fillies entered by leading trainer John Sadler, who has 15 wins at the meet.
By Storm Cat out of Golden Apples--the champion turf mare of 2002--Habaya is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and is making her third lifetime start in the Miesque. She was originally sent to Dubai but returned earlier this year to begin her racing career.
The dark bay filly won her maiden debut at seven furlongs on Belmont Park's main turf course Sept. 25. She came back two weeks later with a fine effort in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine, rallying from seventh in her first route race to finish second to Laragh, a 4 3/4-length winner.
Habaya shipped to Hollywood Park in early November. She drew post 8 and is to be ridden by Richard Migliore, who was aboard the filly for her first two starts.
Ike and Dawn Thrash's Emmy Darling returns to Hollywood Park following her fifth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, her turf debut on Oct. 24 at Santa Anita. She was beaten by 3 1/2 lengths by the victorious Maram after pressing the pace.
The Florida-bred daughter of Graeme Hall won the six-furlong Landaluce by two lengths in her second start June 28 on Hollywood's Cushion Track. Rafael Bejarano retains the mount from Sadler, who has also entered the British-bred Eloquently for her U.S. debut.
Eloquently, owned by Michael Talla, won her only start in England by five lengths on Polytrack.
Trainer Bob Baffert also entered a pair in last-out maiden winners Century Park and Internallyflawless.
Donald Dizney's Florida homebred Century Park, a daughter of General Meeting, broke her maiden in her fifth start Nov. 2, defeating eight rivals as the even-money choice in a 1 1/16-mile grass race at Hollywood. In her preceding start, she was upset as the favorite by Internallyflawless, who defeated her by one length on Santa Anita's grass course Sept. 28. Mike Smith rides Century Park for the first time, replacing Bejarano.
Charles Fipke's Kentucky homebred Internallyflawless, a Giant's Causeway filly, will be making her third start in the Miesque. Garrett Gomez rides her again.
Kinesiology, who defeated Century Park by a neck on the Del Mar lawn in August, gets back on the turf following a 10th-place showing in Oak Tree's Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 27. Craig Dollase trains the daughter of Dixie Union.
Dan Hendricks hopes the maiden Dreamalong can improve on her three successive third-place finishes on the grass, all coming at distances of at least one mile.
Jennie Green starts a pair in recent maiden winner Platinum Stiletto and Ms. Lively, who graduated at Calder on the grass in September.
$100,000 Miesque Stakes (Race 6, 3:04 p.m.), 2-Year-Old Fillies, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Dreamalong (KY), 115, Alex O. Solis
2. Internallyflawless (KY), 117, Garrett K. Gomez
3. Atka (CA), 117, Chantal Sutherland
4. Platinum Stiletto (CA), 115, Jon K. Court
5. Pretty Katherine (ON), 117, Clinton L. Potts
6. Emmy Darling (FL), 117, Rafael Bejarano
7. Kinesiology (KY), 117, David R. Flores
8. Habaya (KY), 117, Richard Migliore
9. Eloquently (GB), 117, Joel Rosario
10. Century Park (FL), 117, Mike E. Smith
11. Grace Gryder (CA), 115, Martin Garcia
12. Ms. Lively (CA), 117, Kayla Stra