Hollendorfer eyes Alabama upset with It Tiz Well
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Last year, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer won the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga with the heavily favored Songbird. This year, the Hall of Fame trainer will try to pull off an upset when he sends out It Tiz Well in Saturday’s 137th running of the prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/4 miles.
It Tiz Well, a daughter of Arch, is coming out of a half-length victory in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks last month at Delaware Park. Prior to that, she finished fifth – elevated to fourth via disqualification – in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks, a race in which she had significant traffic trouble.
“There was nowhere to run, and he had to check pretty hard,” said Hollendorfer, who also won the Alabama in 2010 with Blind Luck.
“We never lost any confidence in her because of that.”
On Sunday, at Del Mar, It Tiz Well worked a half-mile in 50.40 seconds under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, who will come to Saratoga to ride the filly in the Alabama.
“Drayden was up, he was very happy with the work, so that makes me happy,” Hollendorfer said. “We’re going to ship. We understand it’s a tough race, but we feel like our horse can run a mile and a quarter, and she’s been really steady and real consistent.”
It Tiz Well, who arrived here Monday, won the Grade 3 Honeybee at Oaklawn in March. Among those she defeated that day was Elate, who could be the favorite in the Alabama.
Elate ran a game second to Abel Tasman in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here July 23. On Sunday, Elate worked a strong half-mile in 47.81 seconds over the Oklahoma training track.
“Her work was good,” said Bill Mott, Elate’s trainer. “She’s been going right along.”
A field of nine is expected to be entered Wednesday for Saturday’s Alabama. With riders, the field should include Actress (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Elate (Jose Ortiz), Holy Helena (John Velazquez), It Tiz Well (Van Dyke) Lockdown (Manny Franco), Mopotism (Florent Geroux), New Money Honey (Javier Castellano), Salty (Tyler Gaffalione), and Unchained Melody (Joel Rosario).
