Bettarun Fast to run while trainer heals

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bettarun Fast will have to win without trainer Vladimir Cerin when she starts in Saturday's $100,000 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park.

As Bettarun Fast tries to win her second stakes of the spring, Cerin will be missing the race because he was scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery on Thursday. Worse, he was not sure that he would be able even to see the Railbird while recovering.

"They don't have TVG in the hospital," he said. "That must be in the premium rooms."

won the Santa Paula Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on April 1 in a 31-1 upset. She rallied from fifth to win by a half-length over El Mirage Queen, a foe she'll face again in the Grade 3 Railbird.

The Railbird is one of two stakes on Saturday's program, which also includes the $100,000 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.

Bettarun Fast has won half of her eight starts. Owned by Stephen and Patricia Fitzpatrick, Bettarun Fast has never won over the seven-furlong distance of the Railbird. Last November, in the Moccasin Stakes at that distance here, she fought for the lead before fading to finish fifth.

Cerin said the distance is not a concern, but he is worried that Bettarun Fast is not training as well at Hollywood Park as she was last month at Santa Anita.

"In the last race, she galloped out comfortably," he said. "She was a little better before the last race than she is now, but she's pretty close."

El Mirage Queen set a quick pace in the Santa Paula Stakes before being caught late. The Railbird will be her longest race and her fifth start for owner-breeder Moon Han.

"I wish I could find a shorter race, but there is nothing else," Han said. "Last time, she went fast. I don't think the extra half-furlong will hurt. I hope she doesn't have to go to the front."

had sore shins last year, which limited her to one start, in June. She returned to win a maiden claimer in February and the restricted Tapestry Stakes at six furlongs on March 5 before finishing second in the Santa Paula.

Meanwhile, Foxysox will attempt to win her fourth consecutive start in what is expected to be a small field in the Grade 3 Senorita.

Trained by Carla Gaines for Warren Williamson, Foxysox is a stalker, a style that produced wins for her in the China Doll Stakes on March 11 and the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes on April 8. Both races were run at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

will not have to face Harriett Lane, the runner-up in the Providencia Stakes. She is being pointed for the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap in June, trainer Ted H. West said.

She will have to face , fourth behind Foxysox in the China Doll and Providencia. Shermeen will be ridden for the first time by Jose Valdivia Jr. Trainer Jamie Lloyd, who is searching for his first career win, had Valdivia ride Shermeen behind another horse in a turf workout last week. Lloyd said that Shermeen settled well and that the goal will be to keep her behind rivals as long as possible in the Senorita.

In the Providencia, Shermeen was on the lead until midstretch and finished two lengths behind Foxysox.

"She saw daylight and wound up going with the lead horse," he said. "She still kicked on and tried to win it."

Also in the field is Horse B With You, a stakes winner at Turf Paradise last month.