Adreamisborn looks for Alamedan repeat

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer wouldn't mind seeing a little deja vu all over again Sunday at the Alameda County Fair.

Last year, Adreamisborn won the closing-day Alamedan Handicap, using the race as a springboard to a victory in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile. The 6-year-old Adreamisborn is back to defend his title in the 1 1/16-mile $50,000 Alamedan, and a repeat in the Longacres Mile looms on the horizon as well.

Last year's victory was the first stakes win for Adreamisborn, who began 2004 as a 5-year-old maiden. Since then, he has won the Longacres Mile and Grade 3 Stanford Breeders' Cup Handicap, suffered a narrow defeat to Castledale in the Grade 2 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile, and placed in three other stakes.

But Adreamisborn is only one of three strong entrants from the Hollendorfer barn.

His coupled entrymate, Smoocher, won the Grade 2 Grey Breeders' Cup Handicap at Woodbine as a 2-year-old. The other, uncoupled Hollendorfer horse, Yougottawanna, has six stakes victories to his credit, including the El Camino Real Derby and victories in the Grade 3 Seabiscuit the past two years. His most noteworthy win came when he knocked off Officer as a 2-year-old in the Cal Cup Juvenile.

There is not much pace in the race, and Yougottawanna can run effectively on the lead. The strategy will likely be for him to set the pace, as he did in winning the Forty-Niner last fall at Golden Gate Fields under Chad Schvaneveldt, who will ride him again Sunday.

While Hollendorfer has strength in numbers, trainer Art Sherman has a possible upsetter in Easy Million, who went by Yougottawanna in the stretch of the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap to finish second behind his own stablemate Desert Boom last out.

Easy Million ran a big race that day at Golden Gate Fields. He was the lone horse on the card to rally well against a strong speed bias.

"He was back farther than I thought he might be," Sherman said. "I think he'll be laying a little closer here. Seeing what he did gives you options to let the jock see wherever he's at, because you know he can still give you kick at the end."

Several other sharp horses are entered, although they are stepping up here. San Remy has won two straight allowance races on the turf, and Melanyhasthepapers comes north with two wins (one on a disqualification) in his past three starts.

Kilgowan and My Creed, both stakes winners as 3-year-olds, are also entered.

* The final day of the fair includes three other-breed stakes races, including a mule race that pits Black Ruby against younger rivals Sarah Nelson and Smokin Joe. The Jack Robinson Handicap at 870 yards for mixed breeds will see the return of No Communication, a Thoroughbred who will make her second career start after winning her 2-year-old debut two years ago.