Dakota Phone adds to regional honor roll

Dakota Phone’s $77.40 upset in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile made him the 14th Breeders’ Cup winner to also race in Northern California.

Wild Again, who won the inaugural Classic in 1984, ran third in a turf race at Bay Meadows in his final start before his Breeders’ Cup upset. Princess Rooney, the 1984 Distaff winner, might have been the first Breeders’ Cup winner to race in Northern California, but she cut her head getting off a van upon her arrival at Golden Gate Fields for a race and had to be scratched.

Other Classic winners who raced in Northern California were Skywalker (1986), A. P. Indy (1992) and Cigar (1995).

Distaff winners were Lady’s Secret (1986), Jewel’s Princess (1996) and Spain (2000). Spain ran fourth in the Juvenile Fillies for local trainer Jeff Bonde in 1999.

Three Sprint winners raced in Northern California, Cardmania (1993), Desert Stormer (1995), and Reraise (1998). Reraise was already a Breeders’ Cup champion when he won the 1999 Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields.

Silic won the 1999 Mile, winning a photo over Tuzla, who beat him in the San Francisco Breeders’ Cup Handicap earlier in the year, and Singletary won the 2004 Mile and also won in Northern California.

Great Communicator won the 1988 Turf after earlier running at Golden Gate Fields.

Blind Luck looks headed to Eclipse

Hollendorfer saddled Blind Luck in the Ladies’ Classic on Friday, and she finished second as the favorite.

Blind Luck became Hollendorfer’s third Kentucky Oaks winner this year (following Lite Light in 1991 and Pike Place Dancer in 1996), and is likely to win the Eclipse Award as the top 3-year-old filly. That would make Hollendorfer Northern California’s third Eclipse Award-winning trainer, following Chuck Jenda (Brown Bess, turf female in 1989) and Greg Gilchrist (Lost in the Fog, sprinter in 2005).

Smiling Tiger, who began his career at Golden Gate Fields, finished third in the BC Sprint on Saturday, and might be pointed for the Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan next spring, said trainer Jeff Bonde.

“He slipped a little at the break and was taken out of his game,” said Bonde. “He hung in there even though that’s not his normal style.”

Cathy’s Crunches cruises

Hollendorfer also won Saturday’s Golden Gate Fields Debutante with Cathy’s Crunches, whom he purchased privately after she won her debut on June 25 for a $25,000 tag at Calder.

“She was presented to us, and we thought we’d have a chance to do something with her,” said Hollendorfer, who owns her with Mark DeDomenico.

After winning a starter allowance race at Del Mar, the 2-year-old daughter of West Acre ran third in a Del Mar allowance race and then second in an allowance race when she accompanied Blind Luck to Philadelphia Park in early October.

A 13-10 favorite in the six-furlong Debutante, she went wire to wire under little urging from jockey Chad Schvaneveldt, who saw her increase her margin at each call.

Hollendorfer said Cathy’s Crunches would be headed back to Southern California.

◗ Five 2-year-olds are being pointed to Saturday’s $50,000 Golden Nugget at six furlongs here. Topping the list is Road Ready, who won the Lost in the Fog here was second in the Barretts Juvenile at Fairplex.

Also likely to run are the Angel Island runner-up Moment of Weakness, El Gaucho, Hollywood Fierce, and Spot of Salt.

◗ On Wednesday, sprinters are in the spotlight when Crazy Good and Carbonite meet up in a second-level optional allowance race. The field also includes Court Mischief, who makes his first start in nearly 14 months.

◗ On Friday, King Cola, one of the best 2-year-olds in Northern California, will gun for his second straight turf victory in a one-mile allowance race that includes a pair of fillies who have also won on the turf.

◗ On Saturday, free umbrellas will be given away at Golden Gate Fields. On Sunday, fans will receive two clubhouse admission tickets for each unwrapped toy they donate to the Toys-4-Tots Drive, conducted here by the U.S. Marine Corps.