Hollywood Park: Swiss Lake Yodeler gives Hollendorfer stakes record by taking Soviet Problem

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Swiss Lake Yodeler won her second consecutive stakes for California-breds in Saturday’s $200,250 Soviet Problem Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park, giving Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer a record seventh stakes win at the autumn meeting.

Hollendorfer surpassed the record of six stakes win at an autumn meeting set in 1984 by Charles Whittingham.

“Charlie has been an idol of mine since I came on the racetrack,” Hollendorfer said in the winner’s circle. “Everyone knows his name. I’m proud to break a record that he held.”

The autumn meeting began on Nov. 7. Hollendorfer’s seven stakes wins at the autumn meeting include two victories by Shared Belief, a leading candidate for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding 2-year-old of 2013.

In the Soviet Problem Stakes, Swiss Lake Yodeler ($3.80) ran seven furlongs in 1:23.90, closing from fourth in a field of nine to win by a length over 23-1 Rovenna. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Swiss Lake Yodeler was third with a furlong remaining and took control of the race in the final sixteenth.

“She tries hard,” Hollendorfer said. “When they came into the lane, I wasn’t sure she had enough to get there. Rafael has a magical way of getting her to the wire.”

Rovenna set a solid pace of 22.16 and 44.89 seconds, and held second, finishing 2 1/4 lengths in front of Sprouts, who was second in the first half-mile. Sprouts, trained by Edward Freeman, won stakes at the spring-summer meeting here and at Del Mar earlier this year. The Soviet Problem Stakes was the first start for Sprouts since she finished last of eight in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Aug. 31.

“I thought she ran great,” Freeman said. “Maybe a work short, but every trainer would say that. She’s back to the way she ran in the spring. I was happy.”

Sprouts was followed by Meinertzhageni, Shysheisnot, Kukaluka, Casey’s Clem, Stole a Kiss, and Feature Attraction.

Swiss Lake Yodeler, by Swiss Yodeler, races for breeders Larry and Marianne Williams. Swiss Lake Yodeler has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $235,600. She won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes in her stakes debut at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Swiss Lake Yodeler began her career with a half-length victory in a $32,000 claiming race for maidens over about four furlongs at Barretts Sales and Racing at the Los Angeles County Fair in September.