Del Mar: Heleonor Rugby pulls Generous Portion surprise

DEL MAR, Calif. - Heleonor Rugby completed a sweep of the two California-bred stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar this summer, with a surprise victory in Wednesday’s $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes.

The win denied trainer Jerry Hollendorfer a chance at his 5,999th career win. The Hollendorfer-trained fillies Roar Baby Roar and Lookin for Jonesy finished second and third in the field of seven.

Heleonor Rugby ran six furlongs in 1:10.21, finishing a length in front of 5-1 Roar Baby Roar, who led by 1 1/2 lengths on the backstretch and turn. Lookin for Jonesy, who broke a stride slowly, closed from last to finish a nose behind Roar Baby Roar.

Helenor Rugby ($14) was ridden by Christian Santiago Reyes for trainer A.C. Avila. In July, Heleonor Rugby won the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes for statebred fillies over 5 1/2 furlongs. On Aug. 5, Heleonor Rugby was third in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs.

Owned by Luiz Fernando Dannemann, Heleonor Rugby has won 3 of 6 starts and $188,900. A filly by Tribal Rule, she was purchased for $27,000 at the Barretts March sale of 2-year-olds in training earlier this year.