Hollywood Park notes: Reneesgotzip will race next year

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Reneesgotzip, second and third in the last two runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, will stay in training as a 5-year-old in 2014, trainer Peter Miller said on Friday.

Earlier in the week, Miller conferred with owner Debbie Lanni about plans for Reneesgotzhip, who has won 7 of 13 starts and earned $795,460.

Reneesgotzip has won four stakes, the most recent of which was the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar in August. In the BC Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, Reneesgotzip led by 1 1/2 lengths in the stretch and was caught by Mizdirection in the final sixteenth, losing by a half-length. Reneesgotzip finished in a dead heat for second with Tightend Touchdown.

Miller was frustrated by the result, saying that Reneesgotzip was bumped after the start.

“We feel like we had the best horse,” Miller said. “She got slammed hard leaving the gate.”

In 2012, Reneesgotzip was third in the BC Turf Sprint behind Mizdirection. In 2014, Reneesgotzip will not have to face Mizdirection, who was retired to be bred earlier this month.

Extra furlong for Irish Surf

Irish Surf, seventh in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, will start in the $250,000 Hollywood Derby on Dec. 1. Trainer Dan Hendricks thinks the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles on turf will be ideal for Irish Surf, a winner of 2 of 8 starts.

Hendricks said Irish Surf “didn’t run too badly” in the 1 1/8-mile Twilight Derby, and that the extra furlong of the Hollywood Derby will help him.

“We’re really looking forward to next year when we can run him even farther,” he said.

Irish Surf was beaten 3 3/4 lengths by winner Rookie Sensation in the Twilight Derby. Rookie Sensation is not certain to run in the Hollywood Derby, trainer John Shirreffs said last week.

Ashley’s Bambino okay

Ashley’s Bambino broke through the gate before the start of Friday’s sixth race and ran loose for more than 10 minutes, but escaped with only minor cuts, trainer Peter Eurton said on Saturday.

A 5-year-old gelding, Ashley’s Bambino unseated jockey Alex Bisono and ran on the turf course and through the infield before being caught.

“It was hard to watch,” Eurton said. “Those sort of things don’t usually end well.”

Eurton said that Ashley’s Bambino “won’t see a saddle for awhile.”

Assistant starter Kyle Lopez was thrown heavily to the ground when he tried to grab Ashley’s Bambino as he broke through the gate. Lopez landed on his right knee, and was taken to a local hospital for precautionary X-rays.

Cat-filled weekend

Following Monday’s program, live racing resumes Friday and continues through the weekend.

There are two $100,000 stakes next weekend – Saturday’s Sharp Cat Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles, and Sunday’s Cat’s Cradle Handicap for California-bred females over 7 1/2 furlongs.

Trainer Bob Baffert has two maiden winners among the 10 nominees for the Sharp Cat – Be Proud and Georgia. They each won a one-mile race at Santa Anita – Georgia by four lengths on Sept. 27 and Be Proud by 5 1/4 lengths on Oct. 27.

Curvy Cat is among eight nominees for the Cat’s Cradle. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, Curvy Cat won the B. Thoughtful Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares here in April, but has lost her last five starts.

◗ Jockey Agapito Delgadillo lost an appeal of a three-day suspension for a riding infraction issued at Del Mar in the summer. He began his suspension on Sunday, and it continues through Friday.