Trainer Peter Miller takes aim at a pair of 2-year-old stakes on the July 13 program at Betfair Hollywood Park with Solid Wager in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship and On the Backstreets in the Landaluce for fillies.
Both races carry a purse of $150,000 and will be contested at six furlongs on the Cushion Track.
The Landaluce drew a field of seven and is headed by She's a Tiger, a half sister to recently retired multiple grade I winner Smiling Tiger. It is race 2 as a supporting feature to the American Oaks (gr. IT), with a scheduled post time of 1:30 p.m. PDT. The Hollywood Juvenile Championship, demoted this year from a grade III, drew a field of seven as well. It is the fourth race on the card with a 2:32 p.m. PDT expected post.
On the Backstreets, an impressive maiden debut winner May 23, looks to rebound from a fourth-place finish as the even-money favorite in Hollywood's Cinderella Stakes June 15. The Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Street Boss dueled on the front end before yielding on the turn in the 5 1/2-furlong Cinderella. She was reported to have flipped her palate after her 13 3/4-length loss.
Miller trains the filly for Brewer Racing Stable, David J. Lanzman Racing Stable, and Rockingham Ranch, et al. On the Backstreets has returned with a pair of works since July 1, the most recent a handy five-furlong drill in 1:00 2/5 July 7. She will race without blinkers for the first time in the Landaluce.
Solid Wager was third in the June 15 Willard Proctor Memorial for Miller, rallying from well back in his second start for owners Gary and Cecil Barber and Stanford Stable. The California-bred son of Birdonthewire was a 2 1/4-length debut maiden winner eight days prior to the Proctor.
Miller won the 2011 Hollywood Juvenile Championship with Majestic City , and also captured the Landaluce with Pinata in 2006.
She's a Tiger, bred in Kentucky by Dr. Rodney Orr, will get a strong test in the Landaluce following a front-running nine-length romp over maidens June 22 as a 1-5 choice in her debut at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. The final time for the five furlongs was 57.49 seconds.
The bay filly is by Tale of the Cat out of the stakes-winning Cahill Road mare Shandra Smiles, who has produced four winners from six starters. Smiling Tiger was the dam's second foal to race and only stakes winner to date. By Hold That Tiger, he earned nearly $1.5 million while winning three grade I stakes and seven graded stakes overall.
A $150,000 purchase by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock at the 2012 Keeneland September sale from the Warrendale Sales consignment, She's a Tiger is trained by Jeff Bonde for the partnership of Mark Dedomenico, Allen Aldrich, Lisa Hernandez, and Stuart Downey.
Also in the Landaluce field is Pleasant Miss, runner-up in the Cinderella for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Owned by a partnership that includes Halo Farms, Mark Randall, Three Sisters Thoroughbreds, and Hollendorfer, the Pleasantly Perfect offspring graduated in her first start at the $50,000 claiming level May 9.
Hollendorfer won the Landaluce with Killer Graces in 2011.
South Sound was impressive in her local debut for Reddam Racing and trainer Doug O’Neill, defeating five rivals by 2 1/2 lengths June 14. Reddam and O’Neill also will be represented by Perched, who finished fourth in her debut in the Lost in the Fog Stakes June 15 at Golden Gate Fields.
In the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, Willie B Awesome could go favored. A full brother to the multiple stakes winner Willa B Awesome for trainer Walther Solis, he ran second in the Willard Proctor, finishing a neck in front of Solid Wager. The California-bred Awesome Gambler colt is owned by a partnership that includes Michael Byrnes, Patsy London, Kretz Racing, and breeder Terry Lovingier.
Alpine Luck comes off a maiden win June 22 in his third race for owner-breeder Heinz Steinmann and trainer Mike Harrington, who combined to win the 1996 Juvenile with Swiss Yodeler .
$150,000 Landaluce Stakes (Race 2, 1:30 p.m.), 2YO Fillies, 6 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. On the Backstreets (PA), J Talamo, 119, P Miller
2. E Equalsmcsquared (KY), M E Smith, 117, J E Kruljac
3. South Sound (KY), M Gutierrez, 119, D F O'Neill
4. She's a Tiger (KY), F T Alvarado, 119, J Bonde
5. Gagaoveryou (KY), M A Pedroza, 115, J C Canani
6. Pleasant Miss (KY), R Bejarano, 117, J Hollendorfer
7. Perched (LA), C S Nakatani, 115, D F O'Neill
Blinkers Off: On the Backstreets
$150,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (Race 4, 2:32 p.m.), 2YOs, 6 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Ontology (KY), R Bejarano, 115, S Callaghan
2. Alpine Luck (CA), G L Stevens, 119, M Harrington
3. Knock Em Flat (KY), J Talamo, 115, J Mullins
4. Bond Holder (VA), M Gutierrez, 115, D F O'Neill
5. Solid Wager (CA), E A Maldonado, 117, P Miller
6. Willie B Awesome (CA), M A Pedroza, 119, W Solis
7. Carson's Ten (KY), A Quinonez, 115, M Puype
