Hollendorfer has five under consideration for Berkeley

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer spent the early part of Thanksgiving week making decisions.

First, he had to decide which of the three 2-year-old fillies that he nominated would run in Friday’s $50,000-added Golden Gate Debutante. The answer was all three: stakes-placed Doowop Shedoo, recent maiden winner Nightengale Miss, and maiden speedster Americana.

Next, he had to decide which horses to run in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Berkeley on the Tapeta at Golden Gate. He nominated five to the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up: Bronze Star, Anythingscookin, G. G. Ryder, He Will, and Southern Freedom. He is the sole owner of Bronze Star and part-owner of the other four.

“We’re going to be taking a look for each of them,” said Hollendorfer.

Anythingscookin has made only one stakes appearance, finishing eighth in the Joseph T. Grace on the turf at Santa Rosa, won by Southern Freedom. But he’s won two straight since that race, including an optional-claiming race Sept. 18 on the turf at Golden Gate in his last start.

Bronze Star is at the top of his game. The 4-year-old Tapit colt made his stakes debut in the Oak Tree Handicap at Pleasanton on June 25 and won in wire-to-wire style. He then set the pace before finishing second in the Rolling Green on the turf at Golden Gate and won the Bull Dog at Fresno in front-running style as the favorite.

G. G. Ryder was second in the Berkeley in 2014 and third last year. In between, he won the 2015 San Francisco Mile and All American.

This year, he was fifth after setting a pressured pace in the San Francisco Mile, then ran 11th in the All American before going to the sidelines for three months. When he returned, G. G. Ryder was fifth in a sprint prep behind Star Student, winner of last week’s Oakland Stakes here, and bounced back to be a strong second to Bronze Star in the Bull Dog.

“He’s been a solid competitor,” said Hollendorfer.

He Will would be making both his stakes and Golden Gate debut. He has won two straight.

Southern Freedom lost by a neck to Living the Life in this year’s Grade 3 All American. He then captured the Joseph Grace in his next start.

No graded stakes is a walkover even if you have five options, and there’s likely to be plenty of depth in the field in addition to Hollendorfer’s quintet.

Stryker Phd, third behind Pepper Crown and G. G. Ryder in the 2014 Berkeley, is among the nominees. He won the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in 2014 and 2015.

Other nominees include Tamarando, Blue Tone, He’s a Pepper, Unusually Green, and Wanstead Gardens.