With three of the seven entrants in the $150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II) including grade II winner Lady of Fifty, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer brings a strong hand to the featured event on Preakness Day at Betfair Hollywood Park May 18.
The Hall of Fame conditioner, who has struck with eight of 20 starters (40%) so far at the spring/summer stand, also entered recent stakes winner Sister Kate and Lady Aspen in the Everett. The 1 1/16-mile Cushion Track test for fillies and mares is scheduled as the 10th event on the Saturday card with a 4:11 p.m. PDT scheduled post. Hollywood's first post for the Preakness program is 11 a.m.
The race, formerly known as the Milady Handicap, was changed last year to honor Everett, the former chairman, president, and chief operating officer of Hollywood Park who died in March 2012 at age 90.
Hollendorfer's trio will take on a pair from the John Sadler barn— possible favorite More Chocolate and I Dazzle—and another entered by Bob Baffert, Maker Or Breaker. Open Water, trained by Eric Guillot, completes the field.
Lady of Fifty, owned by Hollendorfer with partner George Todaro, returns to the scene of her lone graded stakes win, last December's Bayakoa Handicap (gr. II). The easy 3 1/4-length triumph was the only prior appearance for the 4-year-old daughter of After Market at Hollywood Park. She has won six of 13 lifetime races with earnings of $353,000.
The gray filly started twice at Santa Anita Park since the Dec. 8 Bayaoka, finishing fourth in the La Canada Stakes (gr. II) in January before a third-place effort in the Santa Maria Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 16. Rafael Bejarano rides Lady of Fifty, who carries 117 pounds, from post 4.
California-bred Sister Kate, a full sister to Hollywood Futurity (gr. I) and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Brother Derek, has won two in a row for owner/breeder Mary Caldwell. The 5-year-old Benchmark mare won an optional claimer Feb. 23 at Golden Gate Fields before shipping to Southern California to win the restricted Santa Lucia Stakes on dirt April 14 at Santa Anita. Corey Nakatani takes the return call from post 5.
PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises' Lady Aspen is in search of her first stakes win. The 5-year-old Grand Reward mare comes off a second in the Golden Poppy Stakes on yielding turf at Golden Gate April 7. Tyler Baze rides from the rail.
More Chocolate is the 119-pound high weight for owner Michael Talla. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon filly returns to Southern California after finishing a troubled fifth in the La Troienne (gr. II) May 3 at Churchill Downs.
She won the La Canada two starts back for Sadler by 1 3/4 lengths over the well-regarded Book Review, then ran second to Joyful Victory in the Santa Margarita (gr. I) March 16. Venturing outside the state for the first time in the La Troienne, More Chocolate encountered problems at the start of that 1 1/16-mile test when she was bumped and squeezed back. After recovering to press the pace, she weakened in the stretch.
Stablemate I Dazzle will be making her synthetic debut after winning the American Beauty Stakes April 7 over the Santa Anita turf in her first start for Sadler.
Baffert, who leads the trainer standings at Hollywood with nine victories, will be seeking his first win in this event when he starts Maker Or Breaker.
A 4-year-old Empire Maker filly, Maker Or Breaker has won three of five for Patti and Hal Earnhardt III. The Everett will be the initial race at Hollywood for the dark bay, fourth as the 7-10 favorite in the Santa Lucia.
Grade I-placed Open Water has earned both of her wins over Polytrack at Turfway Park and will make her first appearance since finishing sixth in the La Canada. Southern Equine Stable's 4-year-old Include filly finished second behind Lady of Fifty in the Bayakoa.
$150,000 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (gr. II, Race 10, 4:11 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Lady Aspen (KY), T Baze, 114, J Hollendorfer
2. I Dazzle (LA), A Quinonez, 117, J W Sadler
3. More Chocolate (KY), G K Gomez, 119, J W Sadler
4. Lady of Fifty (KY), R Bejarano, 117, J Hollendorfer
5. Sister Kate (CA), C S Nakatani, 116, J Hollendorfer
6. Open Water (KY), J Talamo, 115, E J Guillot
7. Maker Or Breaker (KY), D R Flores, 115, B Baffert
Lady of Fifty
Benoit Photo