Next step for 'Chef'

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Private Chef made a seamless jump from maiden winner to stakes winner when he pulled an upset in the Grade 3 Will Rogers Stakes May 25.

Sunday, Private Chef will attempt to become a multiple stakes winner when he starts as the favorite in the $200,000 Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Unbeaten in two starts, Private Chef is trained by John Shirreffs, who says the gelding has plenty of untapped potential.

"We didn't train very hard for the Will Rogers," he said. "We were thinking about an allowance race. He showed he could handle it."

Private Chef won a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Santa Anita in February and was intended to start in an allowance race in May until the race failed to draw sufficient entries. He was rerouted to the Will Rogers, sent off at 6-1, and rallied from last to win by three-quarters of a length.

Victor Espinoza, aboard in the Will Rogers, has the mount on Private Chef in the Cinema.

"You never know what they're running against with non-winners until they come up against winners," Shirreffs said. "It was an exceptional effort."

The Cinema, run at 1 1/8 miles, offers a stronger challenge for Private Chef. His seven opponents include Just Wonder, the winner of the Ascot Handicap at Bay Meadows May 10, and recent allowance race winners Ender's Shadow and Slew City Citadel.

"I think the distance works for us," Shirreffs said. "He's got a good head on his shoulders."

Just Wonder and Private Chef share highweight of 117 pounds, spotting the field three to seven pounds. Both are closers who likely will be chasing an early pace set by Ender's Shadow and Helms Deep.

Just Wonder is seeking his fourth career win in his seventh start. The winner of an allowance race in France last August, he won his United States debut in a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita in January.

Slew City Citadel is another closer. He finished fourth in the La Puente Stakes April 12, and won a one-mile allowance race on turf on May 22.

Ender's Shadow has won his last two starts, both on the main track, and is making his turf debut. He won an allowance race against older horses June 4 at 1 1/8 miles.

"I don't know if he can run on the turf or not," trainer Jenine Sahadi said. "I'm just taking a flyer. It's a $200,000 race for 3-year-olds."