Portland Meadows Mile: Hollendorfer's mare takes on males

Fifty-one percent of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s entrants have won races at the current Portland Meadows meeting, with an astounding 85 percent of them hitting the board.

It’s no surprise that he has entrants in Wednesday’s $50,000 Portland Meadows Mile and $30,000 Portland Meadows Derby.

What is surprising is that Hollendorfer, who is less than 100 wins from becoming the fourth trainer in history to saddle 6,000 winners, is sending out a pair of females to run against males.

In the Mile, Pretty Katherine, who chased the likes of Horse of the Year Zenyatta last year, will meet eight male rivals. She’s listed as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind multiple graded stakes winner Autism Awareness, at 5-2.

Pretty Katherine, a 5-year-old Vindication mare, is making her second Portland Meadows appearance. She won the City of Roses Handicap by six lengths here in December as the even-money favorite.

She has been racing at Golden Gate Fields and was third, beaten a length, by the powerful entry of multiple stakes winners Lady Railrider and Antares World in an allowance race in her last start March 5.

Autism Awareness, 6, won his lone start of the year in a $50,000 optional claimer in which he defeated Elusive Schemes, one of his Mile rivals. He won the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby in 2008 and the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap in 2009.

A fourth member of the Mile field, Deacon Speakin’, also has been running at Golden Gate Fields, where he finished second in an allowance race in his last start March 5.

Representing the locals will be Bijou Barrister. He has won seven of eight starts at Portland Meadows, including a $16,000 optional claimer in his last start here Feb. 16. He won the Mt. Hood earlier in the meet.

Stealth Attack, third in last year’s Mile, also has won seven Portland Meadows starts while hitting the board in 18 of 25 starts there. Born’n Blue Genes, who has 5 wins and 2 seconds in 8 starts at Portland Meadows, brings a five-race win streak into the race and makes his first start for trainer Jonathan Nance, who claimed him for $3,200 on Feb. 28.

Turf Paradise invaders Kwik and Ladner Lad round out the field.

In the 1 1/16-mile Derby, Hollendorfer trainee Alec’s Moon, winner of the $82,000 Portland Meadows Oaks in her last start Jan. 29, is the 7-5 morning-line favorite against eight rivals, including Shamundi, winner of the Oregon Breeders Derby on Feb. 21, and Legendary Madame, a stakes-winning filly she beat by 24 3/4 lengths in the Oaks. The field also includes stakes winner Back of the Bus.