PROVIDENCIA S. (gr. III ), Santa Anita Park , April 06, 2013 , $150,000 Guaranteed , value of race $151,250 , 3 yo , 1 1/8 miles , 1:47.52 Turf FM .

A master at buying horses privately and developing them into stakes horses, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer can also pick them out at the sales. He spotted Scarlet Strike at the 2012 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March 2-year-old sale and turned her into a graded stakes winner in the Providencia Stakes (gr. IIIT).

“She was very fast, and she’s very well-bred,” said Hollendorfer. “If you look up her breeding, you would be amazed at what she’s got sitting behind her.”

That black type prompted Hollendorfer and Green Smith to bid $220,000 for the filly, buying her from the consignment of Casse Sales, agent. They own her with John Carver.

Since breaking her maiden in her third start last year, Scarlet Strike had finished second or third in six consecutive stakes. In the Jan. 1 Blue Norther Stakes, her first turf attempt, the margin was a scant nose, and Hollendorfer switched her back to that surface for the Providencia.

“I don’t like to give up on a horse when they have talent,” Hollendorfer said.

Third to champion Beholder in the March 2 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I), Scarlet Strike bypassed that rival in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) on the main track for the Providencia. Hollendorfer said it could put her on a path for such races as the American Oaks (gr. IT) and Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT).

Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings bred Scarlet Strike, offered her for sale at the 2011 Keeneland yearling auction, and bought her back for $70,000. The dam, Scarlet Tango, ran second in the 2000 Laura Gal Stakes and produced 2008 NetJets King’s Bishop Stakes (gr. I) and Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Visionaire, who now stands in South Africa. Out of multiple stakes winner Silver Tango, Scarlet Tango is a half sister to stakes winners Dale’s Prospect and Our Commander.

Smart Strike is the sire of 92 stakes winners, including other 2013 added-money winners Swagger Jack (winner of the April 6 Carter Handicap, gr. I), Centre Court, and Dynamic Strike, as well as two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Smart Strike stands for $85,000 at Lane’s End near Versailles, Ky.—T.G.

LAS VIRGENES S. (gr. I ), Santa Anita Park , March 02, 2013 , $250,000 Guaranteed , value of race $250,750 , 3 yo , 1 mile , 1:36.14 Dirt FT .

Despite having finished second in the Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 21 in her first start since clinching a championship by winning the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) in November, Beholder went off as the odds-on favorite in the Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita. She managed to win like one, setting the pace and scoring by 33/4 lengths.

Beholder improved her record to 4-2-0 from seven starts for B. Wayne Hughes’ Spendthrift Farm. The Lexington nursery had bought the daughter of Henny Hughes for $180,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale from her breeder, Fred and Nancy Mitchell’s Clarkland Farm, agent.

Hughes, who has made it a point to return Spendthrift to the glory days it experienced decades ago under Leslie Combs II, has bred and/or raced numerous graded stakes winners the last few years. The group includes Court Vision, who won the 2011 TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT), and Jimmy Creed, winner of the 2012 Malibu Stakes (gr. I), both of whom scored in the Spendthrift silks.

This year Spendthrift is represented as breeder by Kauai Katie, winner of the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) and the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III), both at Gulfstream Park.

Clarkland, located near Lexington, bought Beholder’s dam, stakes winner Leslie’s Lady (in foal to Orientate), from the Estate of James T. Hines Jr., agent, for $100,000 at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Leslie’s Lady’s value increased dramatically after her son, Into Mischief, won the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) 13 months later for Hughes.

Clarkland experienced a big day during the fourth session of the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale when Beholder’s half brother by Curlin sold for $300,000 to Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms.

Leslie’s Lady produced a Curlin filly Feb. 2 and was bred to Eskendereya the day of the Las Virgenes.

“She’s a nice mare and is doing well,” Fred Mitchell said. “She’s easy to get in foal.”

Mitchell said Into Mischief’s success as a stallion helps showcase the female family. “He sired Vyjack, who won the Gotham Stakes (gr. III) the day of Beholder’s win,” he said.

Henny Hughes has sired 16 stakes winners including four this year. Henny Hughes stands for $7,500 at John T.L. Jones III and Bob Trussell’s Walmac Farm near Lexington.—D.S.