Uzziel Seeks Relief in Wilshire Stakes

James and Tammy McKenney's Uzziel won't have to face off against recent standout opponents Beholder or Warren's Veneda in the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes (gr. IIIT) April 26 at Santa Anita Park, but the she will have to take on another familiar rival in the mile turf test.



After running behind arguably the best mares in Southern California—a second to Beholder in the Santa Lucia Stakes April 15, and a fourth and second to Warren's Veneda Santa Margarita (gr. I) and Santa Maria (gr. II), respectively—the speedy Harlington filly will switch to turf for just the second time in her career and will take on Thegirlinthatsong again.



The pair of 4-year-olds have already faced off twice this year. Uzziel was better in the first meeting in the Santa Maria, a length ahead of third-place finisher Thegirlinthatsong, but the rivals switched positions in the Santa Margarita, when Thegirlinthatsong was a half-length ahead in third.



A Texas-bred by My Golden Song   and co-owned by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Thegirlinthatsong already collected her first graded stakes this year with a score in the La Canada (gr. II) Jan. 17 and has turf experience, with a 3-1-2 record over grass in her career. She'll break from post 2 with jockey Corey Nakatani.



BOSSERT: Thegirlinthatsong Powers Clear in La Canada



Trained by Keith Desormeaux, Uzziel will break from post 5 with jockey Kent Desormeaux, but doesn't have same the turf experience, with only one grass start—a 13th-place finish in last year's China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita.



Another Wilshire entrant with back turf class is Ran Jan Racing's Moulin de Mougin, who won last year's John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT) at Del Mar, but fell in her next start—the Rodeo Drive (gr. IT)—and looked like she needed a race in her 5-year-old debut, a ninth-place finish in the Thunder Road Stakes April 4 at Santa Anita. Moulin de Mougin will break from the rail with jockey Mike Smith, who has been aboard in her last four starts.



The rest of the field of eight older fillies and mares includes five still seeking their first graded stakes victory.



Smoove It is coming off victories in three of her last four allowance/optional claiming events, Blingismything has back-to-back thirds in the Las Cienegas (gr. IIIT) and Buena Vista (gr. IIT), Sky Treasure has four top-four graded stakes finishes; Indecise makes her graded stakes debut; and Birdlover is riding two straight wins in the Wishing Well Stakes and mile turf allowance at Santa Anita.