Rosario sticks with You Lift Me Up

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The pick six races on Sunday at Hollywood Park are a lot more challenging than finding the likely winner of the $60,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares.

You Lift Me Up will be heavily favored in the one-mile turf stakes for California-bred fillies and mares. The Fran's Valentine is race 3; the pick six begins in race 4.

Jerry Hollendorfer trains both You Lift Me Up and U R All That I Am; Joel Rosario has ridden both to stakes wins. Choosing which to ride Sunday was an easy call. You Lift Me Up is an established two-turn mare, while U R All That I Am has always been a sprinter.

"She won at seven and a half, a sixteenth more is okay," Rosario said, referring to U R All That I Am. "I think she can do it, but [You Lift Me Up] already has won at the distance."

You Lift Me Up, 8 for 32, finished third last time out in the Grade 3 Wilshire at a mile on turf. A repeat of that effort should be good enough Sunday. U R All That I Am, 7 for 14, won the 7 1/2-furlong B. Thoughtful last time. She will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano. Lady Alex, Woman Warrior, and Salty Fries also entered the Fran's Valentine.

California-bred fillies remain in the spotlight in the first leg of the pick six, a first-level route for statebred fillies and mares. Taro is likely to start favored following a tough-trip comeback, while Thisoneforyou has a route win already under her belt.

However, the massive Money Lover will try for an upset. Her maiden sprint win last out earned a low-rated 75 Beyer Speed Figure, but trainer Eric Kruljac said he believes she can improve stretching out.

"We always thought she was a route horse," he said. "she's got such a long stride."

A huge gray that stands more than 17 hands, Money Lover is "the biggest horse I've ever trained," Kruljac said. "She's a great, big humongous thing."

In race 8, the Kruljac-trained La Nez tries to rebound after finishing third at odds-on in the $150,000 Melair Stakes. La Nez displaced her palate in that race and could not breathe. She will wear a tongue tie Sunday while shortening to a sprint.

La Nez, a restricted stakes winner, faces Excellent News, a sharp allowance filly. La Nez, who is graded stakes-placed, has trained well since her last start.

"If she brings her 'A' game, the others are in trouble," Kruljac said.