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Over the Fourth of July weekend in 2010, Harmonious joined the big leagues with a victory in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Hollywood Park. One year after that powerful stakes debut, the John Shirreffs filly seeks to kick-start her career anew in Monday's Grade 2, $150,000 Royal Heroine Mile over the same turf course.

Unlike last summer, when Harmonious was definitely on the upswing, this time she enters off a nearly five-month layoff, and bids to halt a three-race losing streak. Following her imperious conquest in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade 1) at Keeneland last October, she suffered her worst career defeat when 10th in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Harmonious returned in the Grade 2 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on New Year's Day at Santa Anita, where she was compromised by a dawdling early pace and rallied late to miss by a nose. Next experimenting with dirt in the February 13 La Canada Stakes (Grade 2), Harmonious failed to sparkle on the new surface and finished a tiring third, well beaten by both Always a Princess and Blind Luck.

Shirreffs wasn't satisfied with her subsequent training and decided to freshen the strapping filly. Harmonious recorded her first work back, an easy half-mile, on June 7, and has followed up with three five-furlong drills.

Although Harmonious brings a perfect three-for-three local mark into the Royal Heroine, she is also cutting back to a flat mile for the first time since her maiden win, and as the 123-pound highweight, she'll be spotting six pounds to each of her rivals. Regular rider Joel Rosario will guide the stalker from post 2.

Her most dangerous opponent could be Celtic Princess (Brz), the controlling speed, who nearly wired the May 30 Gamely (Grade 1) going nine furlongs at Hollywood. The former Brazilian Horse of the Year shortens up one furlong here and warrants respect with a returning Rafael Bejarano. The A.C. Avila mare figures to clear the field early from the outside post 6.

Wild Mia used to show early foot for Tom Proctor, but the gray has been reserved off the pace in her last three outings. Making her Hollywood debut in the course-and-distance prep, the June 5 Redondo Beach S., she closed from near the back to deny Andina (Ire) by a neck. Monday's pace might not be quite so hot, however, and it wouldn't be a total shock to see Wild Mia keep tabs on Celtic Princess early.

Givine (Fr) should produce a striking change of gear late. The Julio Canani filly flew to catch Separate Forest by a half-length in the six-furlong Great Lady here, and is entitled to enjoy the added ground. Givine was mostly campaigned at a mile in her native France, winning four times and twice placing in stakes versus useful foes. Moreover, Canani has said that Givine reminds him of her sire, Blackdoun (Fr), whom he trained to sweep the 2004 Del Mar Derby (Grade 2), La Jolla Handicap (Grade 2) and Oceanside Stakes. Joe Talamo picks up the mount aboard the up-and-comer.

The Grade 2-placed Andina, fourth to Harmonious in last year's American Oaks, has scored all three of her wins at a mile. Late Cuddle (NZ), the winner of a second-level allowance at Hollywood in October, was last seen finishing seventh in the February 21 Buena Vista Handicap (Grade 2). The Jerry Hollendorfer mare will take the blinkers off for the holiday feature.

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