A 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor , out of the Northair mare Sacramentada, Hystericalady is not only the lone multiple graded stakes winner in the 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret field, but other than Tough Tiz’s Sis, the only contender to have won in graded stakes competition at all. Her latest effort was a convincing 6¼-length score in the Molly Pitcher Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. II) at Monmouth Park in late August. It was one of four graded stakes that she has won or placed in this year. In May, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained filly won the Humana Distaff Stakes (gr. I) at Churchill by four lengths.
“She’s coming up to the race real well,” said Hollendorfer, the perennial Bay Area leading trainer. “I want to prep her here for the Breeders’ Cup, so we’re hoping she runs well Sunday.”
Bred in Kentucky by Abbott Properties, Hystericalady has won seven of 13 career starts and earned $656,503. She is owned by Tom Clark's Rancho San Miguel, Dr. George Todaro of Seattle, and Hollendorfer.
Tough Tiz’s Sis figures to be the toughest challenger, although the 3-year-old, like Hystericalady, does her best work when on or near the lead. Her graded stakes victory came three races ago, a 3½-length score in the Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks (gr. II) on Cushion Track, which bodes well since the Lady’s Secret is on the same surface. The daughter of Tiznow , out of the Taylor's Falls mare Leaseholder, raced twice in New York this summer, finishing sixth in the Alabama (gr. I) and a nice third-place effort in the Gazelle (gr. I). Earlier this year she shipped to Sunland Park near El Paso, Texas, to take the $200,000 WinStar Sunland Park Oaks at the Lady Secret's distance.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Tough Tiz’s Sis has won four of 10 starts for Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. Victor Espinoza will ride.
Bob and Beverly Lewis Trust’s Bai and Bai enters off of two California stakes wins, including the Aug. 25 Solana Beach Handicap in which the 4-year-old came from as many as 10 lengths back to get up on the Del Mar turf. A 3¼-length win Sept. 21 at Fairplex in the $100,000 Las Madrinas Handicap came while stalking the pace. Craig Dollase trains the consistent Falstaff filly, who has placed in 16 of 19 career races, winning eight.
Completing the field are Spenditallbaby, who was second to Bai and Bai by a length-and-a-half in the Solanas Beach, She’s an Eleven and Fun Logic, who is coming off two wins Del Mar.
The race is named for Eugene Klein's "Iron Lady" who was a star in the mid 1980s. She was named Horse of the Year after winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) at Santa Anita in the fall of 1986.
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Bai and Bai, 123, Aaron T. Gryder
2. She's an Eleven, 123, Corey S. Nakatani
3. Fun Logic, 123, Joseph Talamo
4. Hystericalady, 123, David Romero Flores
5. Tough Tiz's Sis, 121, Victor Espinoza
6. Spenditallbaby, 121, Michael C. Baze