After Gold Rush, winners set sights on major stakes

The winners of the six big events on California Gold Rush Day at Hollywood Park last weekend have major stakes on their agendas, with two runners being considered for stakes at Pimlico on Preakness weekend.

She's an Eleven, the winner of the Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, is being pointed for the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico on May 19, and Da Stoops, the winner of the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes last weekend, may start in the Preakness.

The other four major stakes winners on Gold Rush Day are expected to stay in Southern California.

Proposed, the winner of the B. Thoughtful Stakes, may start in the $175,000 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood on June 3. Memorette, who won the Fran's Valentine Stakes in a minor upset, has the $750,000 CashCall Mile at Hollywood on July 1 as a long-term goal. Lava Man, the winner of the Khaled Stakes, will stay on turf for the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Hollywood on June 10. One unknown is where Lucky J.H. will start. The winner of the Tiznow Stakes, Lucky J.H. could run in the $250,000 Californian Stakes at Hollywood on June 17, though owner John Harris said no plans have been finalized.

With those horses bound for important races, the Gold Rush program could be a springboard for successful campaigns.

She's an Eleven was arguably the most impressive winner of the day when she won her first stakes in the Melair. She drew off to win by 9 1/4 lengths, a performance preceded by an 11-length win in a maiden race at Santa Anita in March.

Trainer John Sadler quipped of She's an Eleven, "She's looking closer to a 12."

The Black-Eyed Susan would be She's an Eleven's graded-stakes debut. An In Excess filly, she races for CRK Stables.

"We feel the fillies that go hard in the Kentucky Oaks can't go to Pimlico," Sadler said. "I've been high on her. She's been a little unlucky. I think the talent has been there. She's improving and she's built to run a distance."

Da Stoops made his first start at 1 1/8 miles in the Snow Chief Stakes. A colt by Distorted Humor, Da Stoops benefited from a perfect trip by stalking the pace before drawing off to win by 5 1/4 lengths.

"We were hoping he'd stretch out like this, but you never know until you do it," said trainer Bob Baffert.

The Preakness is run at 1 3/16 miles.

Lava Man won the Khaled Stakes on turf by 5 1/4 lengths. The Khaled was his third stakes win of the year and his first race on turf in more than a year. Earlier this year, Lava Man won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. While his main goal is the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 8, a race he won last year, trainer Doug O'Neill said he wants to keep Lava Man on turf for the Whittingham at 1 1/4 miles because of the surface.

"The spacing is better than the Californian," O'Neill said. "It keeps him in that mile and a quarter mindset."

Memorette, who placed in five graded stakes last year, may get the elusive win at that level this year. Owner and trainer Bill Currin said the Fran's Valentine Stakes was not a taxing race for Memorette, 4. The race marked her third start after a seven-month break.

"The race took so little out of her, I was debating whether to bathe her," he joked. "I did because it was a Sunday. The time I gave her off was well appreciated by her."