Hollendorfer, fresh off big day, plans for big March

ARCADIA, Calif. – Early Saturday afternoon, the champion Unique Bella won the sixth stakes of her career in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita.

For many stables, that would be the highlight of a day, a week, or even a month. For Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, it was the start of a brilliant afternoon.

A little more than an hour later, Kanthaka won his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. In the next race, the maiden claimer Seau, co-owned by Hollendorfer, won a one-mile race.

“I like it when we win three races,” Hollendorfer reflected on Sunday.

The stable is well positioned for more stakes wins when Unique Bella and Kanthaka run a week apart at Santa Anita in March.

Kanthaka will be considered for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 10, a key prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 7.

“We wouldn’t be afraid to try two turns,” Hollendorfer said.

Kanthaka, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, beat maidens in his second start on Dec. 26 and had his stakes debut in the $200,345 San Vicente Stakes. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Kanthaka closed from fifth with a wide rally to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Nero.

“We thought he had a chance if he had a good pace to run at,” Hollendorfer said. “The rider made good decisions.”

Kanthaka was dismissed at 11-1 in a field of six. Ax Man, the 2-5 favorite, finished fourth after dueling with 18-1 outsider Mr. Jagermeister through the first half-mile. Ax Man raced on the rail and faded in the final furlong.

On Sunday, trainer Bob Baffert regretted not giving jockey Drayden Van Dyke more flexibility to avoid a speed duel on Ax Man.

“I should have told him he could call an audible,” Baffert said. “We probably should have let that horse go.”

Unique Bella led throughout the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, the first start of 2018 for the champion female sprinter of 2017. Ridden by Mike Smith for Don Alberto Racing, Unique Bella won by nine lengths without urging.

“We thought she’d run well, and she might have done better than that,” Hollendorfer said.

Unique Bella was 1-10 in the Santa Maria. She will be a very short price in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on March 17. Unique Bella has won 7 of 9 starts and earned $712,400.

The Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf March 10 will be a more competitive race. Om ended a 12-race losing streak with a win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf and is a candidate for the Kilroe Mile.

Ridden by Prat, Om led throughout the $100,345 Thunder Road, holding off a sustained threat from Bowies Hero.

Om, who races for K.B. Sareen, edged past the seven-figure mark in earnings on Saturday. The 6-year-old has won 6 of 23 starts and earned $1,001,645.

“He always bounces out of his races in good shape,” trainer Dan Hendricks said.

Hendricks said the Kilroe Mile and Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on May 28 are late-winter and spring goals for Om. The 12-race losing streak included a nose loss in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here in November 2016.

“He ran good races and was close in a lot of races,” Hendricks said. “Key circumstances cost him, but he has made a lot of money.”

The second- through fifth-place finishers in the Thunder Road – Bowies Hero, Next Shares, Tequila Joe, and Blackjackcat – may start in the Kilroe Mile. The race is firmly in the plans for the 4-year-old Bowies Hero, who started outside of his age group for the first time in the Thunder Road.

“It was a good race,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I thought Om just didn’t stop. We both carried on, and we were second-best.”

Blackjackcat was a disappointing fifth as the even-money favorite in the Thunder Road, his first start since a third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 4. Blackjackcat was second to the turn before fading.

“He’s fine,” trainer Mark Glatt said on Sunday. “All of us have bad days, and he had one.”