Hystericalady wires Pitcher
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The long trip from home paid off for Hystericalady on Saturday with an emphatic victory in the Grade 2, $280,000 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park.
It could be the first of two visits to New Jersey for the 4-year-old. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer hopes for a return here Oct. 27 for the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
"We would like to come back," Hollendorfer said. "We'd like to be in the picture at the end of the year, if we can keep Hystericalady sound and training well."
Hollendorfer shipped the filly to Monmouth on Tuesday from his stable at Bay Meadows.
The Molly Pitcher was an appealing option in terms of timing and because it put Hystericalady back on dirt. Her previous dirt race was a dazzling victory in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
She followed that with a second and a third to the unbeaten Nashoba's Key over the synthetic surface at Hollywood Park.
"I thought we'd have to get a little lucky to get a hold of the racetrack," Hollendorfer said. "In her two previous races, not only did she run against great horses, but I don't think she completely cared for the synthetic track. Hopefully, dirt is the answer."
Hystericalady made a strong case for natural soil with a front-running victory. Eddie Castro gunned Hystericalady right to the front. They were tracked throughout by multiple graded-stakes winner India.
Turning for home, Hystericalady turned it on - pulling away to a 6 1/4-length win over longshot Lexi Star with India third. She ran the 1 1/16 miles on the fast track in 1:41.85 and paid $4.80 to win as the favorite of the crowd of 9,950.
The win was the seventh in 13 career starts for the chestnut daughter of Distorted Humor, as she made a fourth straight appearance in a stakes with a least a Grade 2 ranking.
Kettleoneup was fourth followed by Promenade Girl, last year's Molly Pitcher winner; Peak Maria's Way, and Mauralakana who was entered in the Ballston Spa Handicap on the turf Thursday at Saratoga but was scratched by trainer Patrick Biancone to run in this spot.
* Eres Magica ($40) blew past 4-5 favorite Greenery to pull off the upset in the $70,000 Omnibus Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the turf. The time was 2:13.35.