Hollendorfer duo 1-2 in Autumn Leaves

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer continued his amazing stakes run at Bay Meadows when entrymates Marwood ($3) and Cat Alert ran one-two in Saturday's Autumn Leaves Handicap.

Hollendorfer won eight of 14 stakes races at the Bay Meadows spring meeting, finishing one-two in four of them. The Autumn Leaves was the first stakes of the fall meeting.

Marwood sat fourth behind pacesetting A B Noodle through the early running as A B Noodle ran the opening half in the one-mile turf race in 46.41 seconds. She angled out four wide on the second turn and quick made up ground on the field, pulling away through the stretch to beat her entrymate by three lengths to win in 1:35.20.

Cat Alert stalked along the rail and made a good move into the lane before she was forced to check behind A B Noodle. She recovered and tried to re-rally but couldn't match Marwood while barely holding off late-running Sea Jewel. A B Noodle faded to fourth.

"She's getting better every time," said winning rider Ron Warren Jr., who has now won three straight stakes with the 4-year-old filly, two on the dirt, after running second in a pair of turf stakes.

Both fillies are Franks Farms homebreds, bred by the late John Franks.

"I've teamed up with Franks Farms for a long time, but it seems like I'm having a lot better luck with this bunch," Hollendorfer said.

"Ronnie did a good job placing her. I thought if A B Noodle went the first half in 47-4, she'd be tough to beat. It's a big advantage to have a filly that can run on both surfaces."

Hollendorfer said Cat Alert suffered no visible injuries when forced to check.

"She got the door shut on her and lost momentum, but she tried to rally. I didn't see any cuts on her legs and couldn't see anything wrong."

Marwood earned $30,250 and now has career earnings of $175,875 with six wins in 10 starts.