Rodeo Drive win would make Vasilika a Breeders' Cup candidate

ARCADIA, Calif. – The first-place share of Saturday’s $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita is $180,000. That money would come in handy for expected favorite Vasilika, who might be sent to Churchill Downs for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 3 if she extends her winning streak to seven in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive.

Vasilika would need to be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup for $100,000. The winner of the Rodeo Drive, a 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares, receives a fees-paid berth in the BC Filly and Mare Turf, which will save $60,000 in pre-entry and entry fees.

On Thursday morning, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said he didn’t know if Vasilika will be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup.

“We want to concentrate on this race and worry about other stuff like that later,” he said.

Six months ago, talking about sending Vasilika to the Breeders’ Cup would have seemed preposterous. Claimed for $40,000 on Feb. 11, Vasilika was beaten in her first start for Hollendorfer and began her winning streak in a starter handicap at 1 1/8 miles on April 1. A 4-year-old filly, Vasilika has since won three optional claimers, another starter handicap, and the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar on Sept. 1.

Vasilika is part of a field of eight in the Rodeo Drive, seven of whom are stakes winners.

In the Mabee Stakes, Vasilika finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Cambodia, a four-time graded stakes winner who is part of the Rodeo Drive field. Paved, the winner of the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes here in June, is the lone 3-year-old filly in the Rodeo Drive.

There will be support for Queen Blossom, who won the Grade 2 Santa Barbara Stakes at 1 1/2 miles here in April and has been second in two subsequent starts in marathon turf stakes.

KEY CONTENDERS

Vasilika, by Skipshot
Last 3 Beyers: 98-91-90

◗ Owned by Hollendorfer, All Schlaich Stables, Gatto Racing, and George Todaro, Vasilika will be tried at 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the Rodeo Drive. Four of the wins in her streak were at 1 1/8 miles.

“In the opinion of this barn, she’ll get better as the distances go longer,” Hollendorfer said. “She has a nice turn of foot and can wait.”

◗ Flavien Prat will ride Vasilika and has been aboard for the entire winning streak. Prat will have Vasilika in a stalking position and must hold off a late threat from Cambodia.

“Cambodia is a really good filly,” Hollendorfer said. “If we can beat her again, I think we’re in good shape.”

Cambodia, by War Front
Last 3 Beyers: 96-95-96

◗ Cambodia’s four stakes wins have been at distances from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles. This will be her first start at 1 1/4 miles. Cambodia was third in the 2017 BC Filly and Mare Turf at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar last November.