'Green' glad to be back on the grass

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Relaxing Green is typical of many northern California turf horses who face either imposed layoffs or are asked to run on dirt when racing switches to the fair circuit.

Both of Relaxing Green's career victories have come on the turf, where she also has four seconds and one third in 10 starts. But come summer, turf specialists such as Relaxing Green have nowhere to run for two months. That will change next year with the installation of a turf course at Santa Rosa.

Relaxing Green, a 4-year-old filly, gets to run on turf again Saturday in the Bay Meadows fair feature, a one-mile allowance race for fillies and mares.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer gave Relaxing Green a pair of starts on the main track at Pleasanton and Santa Rosa over the summer, and she came back with a third and a second, beaten one length and 1 1/2 lengths.

The efforts show just how sharp she is right now and will likely make her the favorite in the field of 12.

Relaxing Green has run well over the turf here, with a victory and a second this spring.

Native Heartbeat also won over the course this spring, and Sister Mary Hugh performed well enough to earn a start in the Grade 3 Yerba Buena Handicap, in which she finished sixth.

One to watch could be Almond Blossom, who drew the rail. She has never finished off the board in five career attempts on turf and scored her first turf victory in her most recent start, July 18 at Hollywood Park.

Ten entered in Ferndale stakes

Ten fillies and mares were entered in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Don Harmon Memorial Les Mademoiselle Stakes at the Humboldt County Fair. Field size will be limited to eight.

Peggy Hanford saddles the likely favorite, In Love With Loot, who won last weekend's 6 1/2-furlong Charlie Palmer Handicap as the heavy favorite.

In Love With Loot was second in a $12,500 claiming sprint at Solano for Hanford and then was freshened for Ferndale.

"We had an idea to run in both races [at Ferndale], but we knew it would depend on how she ran in the Charlie Palmer," Hanford said.

In Love With Loot came out of her authoritative Palmer victory in good shape and will face In Gold We Trust and Mom Liked You Best, second and third in the Palmer. Soup n' Crackers, the winner of three stakes in Oregon this year, appears the main threat with the chance to save ground with her rail draw.