Senorita Fillies Seek Initial Stakes Victory

Second in last month's Providencia Stakes (gr. IIT), Byrama is one seven sophomore fillies seeking a first stakes tally in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the turf May 5 at Hollywood Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Betfair Hollywood Park.

The Senorita is one of two graded stakes on Hollywood's Kentucky Derby day program, along with the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II). The Senorita, at one mile, is the fifth race on the card with a probable post of 1:03 p.m. PDT. The special first post at Hollywood is 11 a.m.

Great Britain-bred Byrama began her career in England, where she broke her maiden, and was making her stakes debut in the nine-furlong Providencia April 7 at Santa Anita. After pulling early she finished up 2 3/4 lengths behind favored Lady of Shamrock, who is skipping the Senorita.

Trained by Simon Callaghan for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the bay daughter of Byron has not been out of the money in six career starts, compiling a 2-2-2 mark. Byrama will be making her Hollywood Park debut in the Senorita with a new jockey, Jose Valdivia Jr. They will break from post 5 under 115 pounds.

Haras Santa Maria de Aras' homebred Bobina, unbeaten in two starts at Santa Anita this spring, makes her stakes debut in the Senorita for trainer A.C. Avila. The Malibu Moon   miss broke her maiden at first asking on the turf March 31 at the Senorita's one-mile distance. She returned to capture an off-the-turf allowance/optional claimer on a sloppy main track April 13.

Trainer Peter Eurton has entered a pair of fillies. Always Believe's Belle Passe is 2-for-2 in the United States after beginning her career with a runner-up finish in a maiden event at the Curragh in Ireland. The daughter of Van Nistelrooy won a first-level allowance test on Santa Anita's hillside turf course as the favorite April 5.

Eurton's second entrant is My Gi Gi, making her first start of the year. The E Dubai filly was 12th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT) at 38-1 odds last fall following a fourth-place effort in Santa Anita's Oak Leaf Stakes (gr. I) on the main track. My Gi Gi's only victory in five starts came on turf in her career bow last Aug. 18 at Louisiana Downs.

Mike Mitchell is represented by Graser, who was fourth in the China Doll Stakes, three lengths behind Lady of Shamrock in her most recent start March 10. Daniel Capen and Tommy Hutton Dream Stable's Irish-bred daughter of Motivator won her U.S. debut at one mile on the Santa Anita turf in February. She also won once in three tries in England.

$100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. III, Race 5, 1:03 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Light of Life (KY), A Quinonez, 115, K Mulhall
2. Graser (IRE), B Blanc, 117, M R Mitchell
3. Bobina (FL), V Espinoza, 119, A C Avila
4. Via Villaggio (KY), M A Pedroza, 119, J Hollendorfer
5. Byrama (GB), J Valdivia Jr., 115, S Callaghan
6. Belle Passe (KY), J Talamo, 115, P Eurton
7. My Gi Gi (KY), K Krigger, 115, P Eurton