Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer looks to resume his torrid start to the Betfair Hollywood Park meet when he sends out recent Providencia Stakes (gr. IIIT) winner Scarlet Strike in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the grass May 11.
The Hall of Fame conditioner won with six of his first 14 starters during the opening two weeks of Hollywood's spring stand, a 43% strike rate that included four stakes victories. With Scarlet Strike, a big winner April 6 at Santa Anita Park, Hollendorfer has an excellent chance to add another in the Senorita.
The one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies is the sixth race on the Hollywood Saturday card with a 3:35 p.m. PDT expected post. A field of eight is entered, with Scarlet Strike drawing the outside post and assigned top weight of 121 pounds.
Racing for Hollendorfer in partnership with John Carver and Green Smith, Scarlet Strike earned her second win from 10 lifetime starts in the Providencia. The daughter of Smart Strike has not been out of the money while posting three seconds and five thirds in addition to her wins.
In the 1 1/8-mile Providencia, Scarlet Strike defeated Birdlover by half a length as the 2-1 favorite after chasing the pace into the stretch and rallying four wide to get up late. Birdlover faded to finish seventh in her next start, the 1 1/16-mile Edgewood Stakes May 3 over the Churchill Downs turf.
Rafael Bejarano has the return mount on the bay filly.
Sweet Red Cat, trained by John Sadler for the Batchelor Family Trust and Judi Partridge, was third in the Providencia, 2 3/4 lengths behind Scarlet Strike. That was the stakes debut for the daughter of Bluegrass Cat , who rallied from last in the field of 10 to land the show spot. She won two of her three prior starts and will be ridden for the first time by Victor Espinoza from post 5.
Mercedes Stable's Showgirl Form tries winners for the first time following a 2 1/4-length tally over a maiden special weight field at one mile April 27 at Golden Gate Fields. Tim Yakteen trains the Dynaformer filly, who was an odds-on choice in her most recent race and third start overall.
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Charlie Em, an English-bred daughter of Kheleyf, makes her United States debut for Paddy Gallagher. She won in her only prior start at the one-mile distance on a heavy course at Pontefract. She'll be making her seasonal debut in the Senorita from post 7 with Garrett Gomez riding.
Owner Deron Pearson and trainer Jim Cassidy have an entered a pair of recent European imports.
French-bred Disko Dasko won a minor stakes going five furlongs at Longchamp in her final European start last October and comes off a fourth in the Runway Stakes April 13 on the hillside course at Santa Anita. Irish-bred Lilbourne Eliza, never worse than third in four starts in Great Britain, missed by a nose in her stateside debut April 18 in an allowance/optional claiming test at the Senorita distance. They will race uncoupled in the wagering.
Need You Now, fifth in her U.S. bow in the Runway for trainer Mike Mitchell, and Kyriaki, sixth in the Providencia for Peter Eurton last time, will need to improve.
$100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 6, 3:35 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, One Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Lilbourne Eliza (IRE), D R Flores, 115, J M Cassidy
2. Kyriaki (KY), M E Smith, 117, P Eurton
3. Showgirl Form (KY), T Baze, 117, T Yakteen
4. Disko Dasko (FR), E A Maldonado, 115, J M Cassidy
5. Sweet Red Cat (KY), V Espinoza, 117, J W Sadler
6. Need You Now (IRE), J R Leparoux, 115, M R Mitchell
7. Charlie Em (GB), G K Gomez, 115, P Gallagher
8. Scarlet Strike (KY), R Bejarano, 121, J Hollendorfer
Providencia Stakes winner Scarlet Strike has the outside post in the Senorita Stakes.
Benoit Photo