A smashing winner in her much anticipated debut last month, Eblouissante, a half sister to 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, will make her second start Dec. 15 at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Entered in the fourth race, an allowance/optional claiming event, Eblouissante's presence adds to an already attractive Saturday program that includes the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (gr. IIT) and the $750,000 CashCall Futurity (gr. II).
Eblouissante will have four opponents in the the Cushion Track event that carries a purse of $48,000 for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Post time is 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Owned by breeder Eric Kronfeld and trained by John Shirreffs, Eblouissante is a 3-year-old daughter of Bernardini out of the outstanding Kris S. mare Vertinigeux. The broodmare produced the multiple grade I stakes winner Balance as well as Zenyatta, the champion that captured 19 of 20 starts in a spectacular career for Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss.
Stabled at Hollywood Park for more than three years, Zenyatta won eight times in as many starts over Cushion Track, including an unprecedented three victories in the grade I Vanity Handicap (2008-2010).
A dark bay who was bred in Kentucky, Eblouissante debuted Nov. 16 going 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood. That was a longer distance than Zenyatta, who won at 6 1/2 furlongs in her first outing Nov. 22, 2007 at Hollywood. The races, though, were won in similar style, with both unleashing a powerful late run.
Seventh of eight under jockey Corey Nakatani for a good portion of her maiden special weight debut, Eblouissante made a sweeping move around the final turn, collared pacesetter Saturday Nite Ride with a little more than a sixteenth of a mile to run, and drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths.
The victory was worth $27,000 for Eblouissante, who has two recorded drills over Cushion Track since the initial effort. She went a half mile in :52 2/5 Dec. 2 and five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 a week later.
Nakatani will again ride Eblouissante, who will break from post 3 and carry 121 pounds.
From inside out, the field also includes Glowing Spirit, Edwin Maldonado rides, 124 pounds; The Only Key, Victor Espinoza, 124; Include the Cat, Garrett Gomez, 124 and Toomanytomatoes, Rafael Bejarano, 121.
