Grade I winners Zazu and Include Me Out will battle in the $150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park May 19 in a race that also attracted multiple grade II winner Ellafitz.
Those three stand out in a field of seven for the Everett, a 1 1/16-mile Cushion Track event for fillies and mares that was previously known at the Milady Handicap. The race's name was recently changed to honor the former longtime chairwoman, chief operating officer, and president of Hollywood Park who died in March. It is one of two stakes on Hollywood's Preakness day program, along with the Railbird Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.
The Everett is race 10 on the card with a 4:30 p.m. probable post.
Zazu, who has not raced since winning the Lady's Secret Stakes (gr. I) at Santa AnitaPark Oct. 1, is the 121-pound high weight. She carries one pound more than both Include Me Out and Ellafitz.
Trained by John Sadler for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, Zazu upset Plum Pretty in last June's Hollywood Oaks (gr. II) and has won two of four starts over the Cushion Track. The 4-year-old gray/roan daughter of Tapit also won Santa Anita's Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) last year.
Zazu, who owns a 4-5-1 record in 11 lifetime starts with earnings of $682,985, is to be ridden from post 6 by Garrett Gomez.
Include Me Out, from the Ron Ellis barn for Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable, won the Santa Margarita Stakes (gr. I) on a sloppy track at Santa Anita in her most recent start March 17 impressively by nearly four lengths. The 4-year-old Include filly dominated the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) by 4 1/2 lengths prior to the Santa Margarita in her only other start this year.
Joe Talamo rides the talented filly with four wins and two seconds from eight starts. They drew the rail.
Trainer Bob Baffert, who has never won the Everett (Milady), is represented by Ellafitz. In her most recent effort, she faded to fourth after setting the pace in the Santa Margarita as the 4-5 favorite.
Ellafitz, a 5-year-old daughter of Tiznow owned by D&E Racing, who won the Bayakoa Handicap (gr. II) last Dec. 4 in her most recent start at Hollywood. She won a pair of stakes at Santa Anita to start her 2012 campaign, the Pasaena Handicap and the Santa Maria Stakes (gr. II).
Rafael Bejarano replaces Martin Garcia aboard Ellafitz, who breaks from the far outside post.
Great Britain-bred Caelis, an allowance winner at Hollywood April 26,Kayce Ace, Love Theway Youare, and Suzettes Friend completed the field.
$150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II, Race 10, 4:30 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/16 miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Include Me Out (KY), J Talamo, 120, R W Ellis
2. Caelis (GB), K Krigger, 114, P Miller
3. Love Theway Youare (KY), A Quinonez, 116, M K Cho
4. Suzettes Friend (KY), E Flores, 112, R DeLeon
5. Kayce Ace (KY), M Garcia, 114, E G Harty
6. Zazu (KY), G K Gomez, 121, J W Sadler
7. Ellafitz (KY), R Bejarano, 120, B Baffert
Zazu takes on Include Me Out and 5 others in the Marjorie L. Everett Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park.
