Royally Chosen Could Make Headley’s Day

It would be fitting if Royally Chosen won the inaugural running of the $75,000 Kalookan Queen Handicap today at Santa Anita.

A 5-year-old In Excess mare, Royally Chosen is trained by Bruce Headley, who also trained Kalookan Queen, a talented mare whose stakes victories included the 2002 Santa Monica Handicap in Arcadia.

Successful in four of 10 starts at Santa Anita, Royally Chosen is the 2-1 second choice in the 6 1/2-furlong race, but she will have to be at her best to handle Ema Bovary.

Bred in Chile and trained by Larry Ross for a partnership, Ema Bovary, the 4-year-old daughter of Edge Diplomat, will be trying for her sixth consecutive victory and could easily have eight in a row.

After winning her final start in Chile, she finished last in her U.S. debut in the Richmond Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in February. She was off horribly that day, dropped 19 lengths off the pace, then rallied to finish only a little more than five lengths behind winning Lacie Girl.

There have been no mistakes since for Ema Bovary, who proved she could also win in Southern California after earning her first four U.S. victories at Golden Gate and Emerald Downs in Washington. She beat Bear Fan by a neck in an optional claimer Nov. 29 at Hollywood Park.

Race of the day: Cryptic Skier, who broke his maiden by 11 1/2 lengths for trainer Francis Campitelli in his second start Nov. 22, heads a field of six 2-year-old Maryland breds in today’s $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Championship at Laurel. Luis Garcia will ride the gelded son of Crypto Star in the 1 1/8-mile race.

One for the road: Receivership moves up in class in today’s ninth at Aqueduct after an easy win Dec. 4. Pablo Fragoso will ride the 3-year-old End Sweep filly in the final leg of a pick six with a carry-over of $34,615.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Pleasure Honor and Stone Rain in the fourth, Tejati in the fifth and Out Of Coal, The Road Boss, Kid Royal and Go Wild in the sixth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/10. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.40/$50. Total money bet: $72.