Hollendorfer gets a 'W' in Great Lady M.

CYPRESS, Calif. – It has been quite the odyssey for Sneaking Out over the past 54 weeks, but on Saturday, back where she belongs, in California, with trainer Jerry Hollenforfer, she won the biggest race of her career by holding off heavily favored Bellafina to take the Grade 2, $200,000 Great Lady M. Stakes for older female sprinters at Los Alamitos.

Sneaking Out, with Martin Garcia in for the day, sat second outside pacesetter Artistic Diva during the early going of the 6 1/2-furlong race, surged to the lead in upper stretch, and staved off odds-on favorite Bellafina in the closing yards to prevail by three-quarters of a length. She paid $16.40 to win.

Bellafina, who started from the inside in the seven-horse field, had to sit fourth during the early going and made steady progress to finish second under topweight of 124 pounds, five more than her six rivals. She went off at 1-2, and caused Los Alamitos to cancel show wagering in the race.

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Amuse was another two lengths back in third, then came, in order, Artistic Diva, Hang a Star, Zusha, and Donut Girl.

Sneaking Out completed 6 1/2 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:14.62, just .14 shy of the track record set four years ago by Finest City, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint later that year.

“She was laying in a good spot outside and when he asked her to go she had a lot left,” Hollendorfer said.

The win was the fifth in 11 starts for Sneaking Out, a California-bred daughter of Indian Evening who was bred and is owned by the KMN Racing of Kevin and Kim Nish. She earned $120,000 for the victory and now has career earnings of $431,441.

Her only previous stakes win came in the Evening Jewel against statebreds at Santa Anita in April 2019.

A little more than two months later, Sneaking Out was withdrawn from the Melair Stakes on the final day of the meet at Santa Anita, after Hollendorfer was barred from the track the previous morning following a spike in fatalities that spring. Sneaking Out was transferred to the barn of Keith Desormeaux, for whom she ran twice last summer at Del Mar before going to the sidelines.

When she returned earlier this year, she was back with Hollendorfer, but owing to his status in the state – he can race at Del Mar and Los Alamitos but not at Santa Anita nor Golden Gate – she competed at Oaklawn and then Churchill Downs, most recently finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Winning Colors.

An obvious spot at Del Mar for Sneaking Out would be the Rancho Bernardo. After that, who knows? Hollendorfer, via a temporary restraining order issued last year, can compete at Del Mar, and he’s always been welcome at Los Alamitos, where he keeps a string of horses year-round. Del Mar and Los Alamitos combined were scheduled to race 17 weeks this year.

Many of Hollendorfer’s Oaklawn runners are at Monmouth Park with long-time assistant Dan Ward, the odyssey the result of his being banned by The Stronach Group, against whom he is contesting the decisions in court; Hollendorfer has not had any rulings against him by the California Horse Racing Board. One of the most prolific horsemen in the sport has had barely more than 100 starts so far this year. Sneaking Out provided a nice high point to what has been a trying time for the veteran trainer.

“Nice to get a win,” he said.