Wishing Gate shortens up for Monrovia

Wishing Gate has back class from a mile to nine furlongs (Benoit Photos) One year after taking the Grade 2, $200,000 Monrovia with Pontchatrain, Glen Hill Farm and trainer Tom Proctor are back with two more chances in the about 6 1/2-furlong turf dash at Santa Anita. Wishing Gate is an accomplished Grade 2 winner who shortens up for her first try over the course, while stablemate Biorhythm brings a proficient 4-2-1-0 mark on the downhill. Hall of Famer Gary Stevens will ride Wishing Gate, whom he guided to victories in the 2013 San Clemente at Del Mar and the Autumn Miss at Santa Anita. Both came at a mile. The homebred daughter of Indian Charlie and multiple Grade 3 vixen Rich in Spirit has also finished a close second in two 1 1/8-mile events, the 2013 Del Mar Oaks and last summer’s John C. Mabee. Unplaced in her subsequent two outings in the Yellow Ribbon and Kathryn Crosby, Wishing Gate hopes that the sprinting game will rejuvenate her. Biorhythm was second in the May 25 Mizdirection and previously a close fourth in the Las Cienegas in her only two stakes attempts, both over this course and distance. The Malibu Moon mare has scored front-running wins in her other two local appearances, and promises to flash early speed with Drayden Van Dyke.

Carla Gaines is double-handed with Gender Agenda and Heat Trap. Gender
Agenda, a neck second in the September 27 Unzip Me on this course, has since
finished second in the Kathryn Crosby and fourth in the Matriarch over a mile.
Heat Trap has never been worse than third in four tries on the downhill,
including a close second in the October 11 California Distaff, and ranks first
in BRIS Prime Power.

Velvet Mesquite, who wired the California Distaff, was a game second in the
off-the-turf Sen. Ken Maddy in her latest. Five for six over the course, the
Blake Heap mare keeps Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the irons.

Judy in Disguise, third in the 2013 Sen. Ken Maddy, recently made a winning
return from an 11-month layoff for Simon Callaghan. He will also be represented
by Warm Breeze, who will be making her second start for the barn and her first
career attempt on turf.

The Mark Casse-trained Sky Treasure fits in light of her fast-finishing
second in the Royal North back in July, and her better-than-appears fourth in
the Franklin County after a slow start at Keeneland. Wesley Ward’s duo of
Shrinking Violet and To My Valentine are in with a chance on their best day, and
rounding out the field are multiple Brazilian Group 1-placed Baruta for Hall of
Famer Richard Mandella and comebacker One More, third in the Providencia two
starts ago for Doug O’Neill.

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