Hollywood Park: Curvy Cat makes it a hat trick for Hollendorfer

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Curvy Cat, a former $8,000 claimer, gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his third stakes win on Saturday’s California Gold Rush program at Betfair Hollywood Park in the $126,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.

Hollendorfer expects even more in the future from the 4-year-old Curvy Cat, who her first stakes in the B. Thoughtful over 7 1/2 furlongs.

“We kept our confidence that she would develop,” Hollendorfer said. “I think she’ll do better.”
Hollendorfer could hardly have done much better himself at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Earlier in the day, he won the $245,000 Melair Stakes with Doinghardtimeagain and the $125,250 Tiznow Stakes with Kate’s Event.

Doinghardtimeagain and Curvy Cat are owned by Ted and Debbie Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds. The Stulls bred both stakes winners, who are by their stallion, Ministers Wild Cat.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Curvy Cat ($15.80) closed from eighth in a field of 10 to catch pacesetter, and 2-1 favorite, Ismene in the final furlong and win by a length in 1:29.65. Ismene held second, finishing 3 3/4 lengths in front of Dancingtothestars.

The race lost a key runner earlier on Saturday when the multiple graded stakes winner Teddy’s Promise was withdrawn because of a bruised foot, trainer Ron Ellis said.

“I think that had to bolster everyone’s confidence a little bit when Teddy’s Promise came out,” Hollendorfer said. “She was the horse to beat.”

Ismene set a quick pace of 22.78 and 45.91 seconds for the first half-mile and had a two-length lead with a furlong to go. She could not hold off the late challenge from Curvy Cat, who has won 7 of 15 starts and $241,373.

“She ran an excellent race,” Hollendorfer said.

Curvy Cat began her career with a win in an $8,000 claiming race for maidens at Golden Gate Fields on Jan. 1, 2012.

The B. Thoughtful Stakes was Curvy Cat’s fourth appearance in a stakes. She was third in the Skillful Joy Stakes here last December and the Paseana Handicap at Santa Anita in January. In her last start, she was sixth in the Irish O’Brien Stakes on turf for California-bred fillies and mares at Santa Anita in March.