LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JANUARY 1, 2022—The Grade 1 stakes schedule at Los Alamitos gets underway on Sunday night with the running of the 21st edition of the $100,000 Charger Bar Handicap.

The Charger Bar is the first of three distaff races this season at Los Alamitos with purses of $100,000 or more. The other two are the inaugural Abigail Kawananakoa Stakes on June 12 and the Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap on September 18.

The field for this year’s Charger Bar is among the strongest in the history of this race, as it will feature Gentry Farms’ defending champion Kiss Thru Fire and Paulo Freire Macedo’s 2021 Mildred Vessels winner Reason To Fly Mv.

College Scandal, who like Kiss Thru Fire is owned and bred by Gentry Farms, will also be in action in this race after a strong campaign last year in which she won the Grade 2 PCQHRA Breeders Derby.

M.C. Stuck’s Astranomical, who won the Grade 2 Las Damas Handicap in her local debut., is among the other top mares in this event.

Trainer Juan Aleman figures to be a major player in the Charger Bar, as he will saddle Kiss Thru Fire, who is looking to become only the third back-to-back winner of this race, plus College Scandal and Astranomical.

"Kiss Thru Fire comes back this year and I just can’t say much more about her," Aleman said. "She’s such a talented mare and she’s defending her Charger Bar title on Sunday night. For College Scandal, it’s a step up for her. She’s now four so she’s facing older mares. I think she’ll be competitive. She likes the distance and while she’s facing two tough mares in my barn, I think she’s up to the task.

Astranomical came from Oklahoma and was moved up to first in the Las Damas. For making her first start at a new track, she impressed me. She’s very quick out of the gate. She’s tough and will give my other two mares - and this field - a run for the money."

Trained by Jose Flores, Reason Fly Mv will come in after running in the Grade 1 Champion of Champions and the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby, facing top males each time. She also finished second in the Grade 2 Golden State Derby last year.

Lynnder 16, a winner of over $700,000 in her great career, Leah Carroll, Jess Lyndes Reason, Fayvorite Chick, Suite Expectations and Roving Kind will complete the field. Sundays’ card will also feature the $25,000 Dashingly Stakes for mares.

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For more info, please contact larace@losalamitos.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @losalracing or visit us online at www.losalamitos.com.