Miss Gazon, an impressive winner in her last start on the Aqueduct turf, arrived from New York for the $150,000 Dahlia Handicap (gr. IIT), for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Hollywood Park Saturday.A 4-year-old Irish-bred filly trained by John Morrison, Miss Gazon arrived Tuesday night with assistant Betsy Couch and was stabled in Barn 51. Jorge Chavez has the Dahlia call on the intriguing unknown factor in the race.Miss Gazon, daughter of Royal Academy, rallied from far back to win a $52,000 allowance race at 1 1/8 miles over a turf course rated good by 3 1/4 lengths under Chavez in her third United States starts.Owned by Jeffrey Tucker, Miss Gazon won three of five starts in Europe last year, the Prix des Bruyeres at Chantilly, the Prix de Vire at Deauville and the Group III Buchmacher Springer Sprint at Munich.Trainer Ron McAnally confirmed from Santa Anita that he planned to start both Tout Charmant and Alozaina in the Dahlia. Tout Charmant, a 6-year-old mare who won the 2000 Matriarch here, finished seventh in the Las Palmas Handicap at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 in her first start in eight months."She was bred, didn't take and her owners (Stonerside Stable) put her back in training," said McAnally of the long absence. "She needed that last race. We've been bearing down on her works a little more. She got a little smart on us."Alozaina seeks her first United States victory after being imported from France in May.
Trainer Bobby Frankel, seeking a record sixth Dahlia victory, said he would run either Tates Creek, the 122-pound highweight, or Surya, pegged at 118, depending on the weather.A field of at least seven is probable: Tates Creek (122) or Surya (118), Patrick Valenzuela; Tout Charmant, Alex Solis, 119; Alozaina, Victor Espinoza, 115; Reine de Romance, Julie Krone, 115; Double Cat, Mike Smith, 113; Miss Gazon, Chavez, 113, and Terna, Jose Valdivia, Jr., 110.Reine de Romance breezed three furlongs in :35.20 Wednesday at Santa Anita for trainer Jenine Sahadi.
