An eye-catching winner of the Santa Paula Stakes (gr. III) in her last start, Tanda bids for her third consecutive victory May 9 in the $100,000 Railbird Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park.
Tanda's prior two wins had come on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, but her 4 1/4-length tally in the March 28 Santa Paula over Pro-Ride proved she is equally effective on a synthetic track.
She will face nine 3-year-old filly rivals as the 121-pound high weight in the seven-furlong Railbird on Hollywood's Cushion Track. The race goes as the seventh on the program at 4:05 p.m. (PDT).
Trained by Dan Hendricks for Tommy Hutton's Dream Stable, Tanda breaks from the rail with Alex Solis, who returns from Kentucky for the May 9 card. Solis has ridden the Florida-bred daughter of Sweetsouthernsaint--Doc's Stormy Girl, by Dr. Caton, in all five of her prior races.
Tanda won two of three races with one second on the turf this year before switching to the main track for her graded stakes debut in the 6 1/2-furlong Santa Paula.
She saved ground, then burst through a seam early in the stretch and kicked away from four opponents to win the Santa Paula convincingly over La Nez. The victory boosted her earnings to $127,710.
Trainer John Sadler entered Switch and Stockings, a pair of Kentucky-bred fillies purchased at Keeneland as yearlings in September 2008.
Switch, a daughter of Quiet American, returns to the track where she broke her maiden late last year after finishing fourth in the Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. II) March 20 at Gulfstream Park.
“She didn’t get the trip I wanted in the Bonnie Miss,” said Sadler, who won the Railbird with Melair in 1986 and with Sportfull Snob in 1994. “I brought her back and freshened her. She’s very gifted and seven furlongs is a good distance for her.”
Owned by C R K Stable, Switch won over the track in her debut Dec. 13. Prior to her trip to Florida, Switch finished third in both the Santa Ynez (gr. III) and Las Virgenes (gr. I), where she was only beaten by a half-length at Santa Anita. Blind Luck and Evening Jewel, the one-two finishers in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), were just in front of her in the Las Virgenes.
Stockings, owned by Michael Talla, also won her only start at Hollywood, breaking her maiden in her third outing Dec. 11. The Hennessy filly won a first-level allowance at six furlongs in her most recent try on March 10 at Santa Anita.
“She has never been worse than third in four starts on synthetics and was impressive winning her last start,” Sadler said. “Seven-eighths is a good distance for her, too.”
All Due Respect, distanced in the Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park in her most recent start April 2, leads the Railbird field in earnings with $150,032. Owned by Al and Sandee Kirkwood and trained by Kathy Walsh, the Value Plus filly ran a game second, a neck behind Crisp, after setting the pace in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) prior to the Fantasy. She defeated Blind Luck by a neck that day.
Rafael Bejarano will ride All Due Respect, who will carry 115 pounds from post 4 while shortening up. All Due Respect owns a 1-3-1 record in seven starts.
Jay Em Ess Stable's Vision In Gold also cuts back for trainer Ron Ellis after winning a mile race against maidens on March 11 at Santa Anita. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro and the Corporate Report mare Corporate Vision has started just twice and has trained well at Hollywood Park since her victory. Tyler Baze has the call.
Trainer Bob Baffert entered both Crisis of Spirit and Seriously.
A Mike Pegram homebred, Crisis Of Spirit faded in the Santa Paula after setting a brisk pace. The Vindication filly out of the Storm Cat mare Silverbulletway has won two of five starts, including the Anoakia last fall.
Seriously, a daughter of Gulch owned by Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable, makes a quick turnaround after losing by a nose in a first-level allowance April 25.
Southern Fireball, from the Doug O'Neill barn, returned from an eight-month layoff to score a half-length victory over first-level allowance foes on the hillside turf course April 4 at Santa Anita. She broke her maiden by more than four lengths at Hollywood one year ago.
Church Camp, who won her first two starts for trainer Brian Koriner, attempts to rebound from a last-place finish in the Santa Paula. Win for M'lou makes her stakes debut for trainer Craig Dollase.
$100,000 Railbird Stakes (gr. III, Race 7, 4:05 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Filies, 7 Furlongs (Synthetic)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Tanda (FL), A O Solis, 121, D L Hendricks
2. Vision in Gold (KY), T Baze, 115, R W Ellis
3. Seriously (KY), M A Pedroza, 115, B Baffert
4. All Due Respect (FL), R Bejarano, 115, K Walsh
5. Crisis of Spirit (KY),M Garcia, 117, B Baffert
6. Southern Fireball (KY), V Espinoza, 117, D F O'Neill
7. Church Camp (KY), J Talamo, 117, B J Koriner
8. Win for M'lou (KY), D R Flores, 115, C Dollase
9. Stockings (KY), M E Smith, 117, J W Sadler
10. Switch (KY), J Rosario, 115, J W Sadler
Tanda tries for her third consecutive victory in the Railbird.
Order This Photo
