A full field of a dozen 3-year-old fillies take to the turf for Oak Tree's $100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap (gr. IIIT) Oct. 17 at Hollywood Park.
The one-mile Ramser, the eighth race on the program with a 4:30 p.m. PDT start, is a wide open affair. Berg Bahn, an Irish-bred filly from trainer Paddy Gallagher's barn, is the lone group or graded stakes winner in the field.
Anamoine's daughter of Big Bad Bob captured the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stakes (Ire-III) over seven furlongs at her native Fairyhouse in her final United Kingdom start for trainer Gerard Lyons June 30. She has one prior United States effort, finishing sixth at 22-1 odds in the nine-furlong Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) after a slow start from her rail post Aug. 21.
Berg Bahn, who has won two of seven in her career, will have Corey Nakatani aboard and they will break from post 6.
It Tiz won the first two turf starts of her career, including the Le Cle Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths at Hollywood Park July 1. The daughter of Tiznow tries to get back on top after a pair of unplaced finishes at Del Mar, including an eighth in the Del Mar Oaks, her most recent start for trainer Mark Glatt and owners Allen and Susan Branch.
She has won twice in nine starts and is reunited with jockey Joel Rosario, who piloted the dark bay filly in both of her victories. They break from post 11.
Antares World, who leads the Ramser field in earnings with $273,458, returns to Southern California after winning an allowance on the Golden Gate Fields turf Sept. 23. Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams' California homebred daughter of Decarchy is trained by Steve Specht.
In her last start at Hollywood Park, Antares World was second at nearly 13-1 in the American Oaks (gr. IT) July 3. She finished fourth in the Del Mar Oaks, three lengths behind the victorious Evening Jewel.
“The timing is right, and I figure the toughies are heading to the Breeders’ Cup,” said Specht of his decision to run in the Ramser instead of waiting for the California Cup Matron Oct. 30.
Go Forth North is making her second start of the Oak Tree season after running eighth against older fillies and mares in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (gr. IT) Oct. 2. In her only try this year against 3-year-old fillies, she won Del Mar's Sandy Blue Handicap in a dead-heat with Ramser foe Warren's Jitterbug at 13-1 odds Aug. 20.
Owned by L-Bo Racing, Monte Pyle and Summer of Fun Stables and trained by A. C. Avila, Go Forth North has won twice this year in seven races and missed by a neck to well-regarded Gotta Have Her in the Palomar Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar following her win in the Sandy Blue.
Berg Bahn, Antares World and Go Forth North were each assigned top weight of 118 pounds.
All Due Respect, making her turf debut for trainer Kathy Walsh, finished second in a three-way photo in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) in March after setting the pace. The daughter of Value Plus will make her first start since a third-place finish in the Iowa Oaks on June 26.
“We’ll see if she handles it,” said Walsh. “This is a good place to try it because it’s very firm.”
Unbeaten in two starts, Spendthrift Farm's Malibu Pier overcame trouble to win her debut at Hollywood at six furlongs on the turf July 15. One month later, the Carla Gaines trainee, a daughter of Malibu Moon , went gate-to-wire to win a one-mile optional claiming allowance at Del Mar.
Claiborne Farm's Timezone, a Pulpit filly, is another who will get tested for class here following her optional claiming win on the Del Mar grass Sept. 3 for trainer Richard Mandella. She also owns a win over the Hollywood lawn and will make her stakes debut with a record of three wins in five starts.
Westwood Pride has been no worse than second in six races on grass in Florida and California for trainer Kristin Mulhall. The Pleasantly Perfect miss makes her stakes debut for owners Juliana and Rustin Kretz.
Warren’s Jitterbug, a California-bred daughter of Affirmative owned by breeder Benjamin Warren and trained by Jorge Gutierrez, has three victories -- all on turf at Santa Anita and Del Mar -- and 10 in-the-money finishes in 14 starts with earnings of $218,238.
$100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:30 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Conniption (IRE), B Blanc, 114, S Callaghan
2. All Due Respect (FL), J Talamo, 116, K Walsh
3. Antares World (CA), F T Alvarado, 118, S Specht
4. Crisis of Spirit (KY), M Garcia, 114, B Baffert
5. Go Forth North (KY), D R Flores, 118, A C Avila
6. Berg Bahn (IRE), C S Nakatani, 118, P Gallagher
7. Malibu Pier (KY), R Bejarano, 115, C Gaines
8. Warren's Jitterbug (CA), P A Valenzuela, 117, J Gutierrez
9. Westwood Pride (KY), A Quinonez, 115, K Mulhall
10. Timezone (KY), M E Smith, 116, R E Mandella
11. It Tiz (KY), J Rosario, 116, M Glatt
12. Pincelada (FL), V Espinoza, 114, J M Cassidy