Runaway Cherie has much to overcome in one-mile feature
DEL MAR, Calif. – In her works leading up to her debut, Runaway Cherie showed little speed, so the decision was made to start her off going two turns.
“So, of course, she went right to the lead,” said Dan Ward, the local assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Runaway Cherie never looked back. She prevailed at 12-1 but should be a shorter price on Friday, when she meets a first-level allowance field at Del Mar in the day’s featured seventh race, for fillies and mares. The race also includes a $40,000 claiming option.
Runaway Cherie not only is facing tougher competition than in her Oct. 10 debut, but she will have to overcome a poor draw. She landed post 10 in the one-mile race and will be on the far outside barring any scratches from the runners drawn toward her inside.
Ward said Runaway Cherie “couldn’t keep up” with co-workers “the first part of her works, but she finished well and galloped out well.”
“That’s why we ran her long first time out,” he said. “There was no reason to run her short.”
Hollendorfer and Ward also have Sarahline in the race.
Their primary rivals include Sweetrayofsunshine, a winner of 8 of 18 lifetime, and Madam Aamoura, best known in the past month as the workmate for American Pharoah as he prepared for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
KEY CONTENDERS
Runaway Cherie (Beyer: 77)
◗ Her winning Beyer Speed Figure was solid, but it likely will take improvement to prevail here. The likely race shape and post also are significant hurdles. But her upside is still unknown.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Runaway Cherie. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 13-4-4-3 with a $2.18 ROI over the past five years on the Southern California circuit with 3-year-olds in their second career start following a winning debut. – Mike Hogan
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Sarahline (Last 3 Beyers: 77-61-77)
◗ She has lost 11 straight since defeating maidens in her fourth career start last December, often settling for minor awards. In 15 starts, she owns just that one win but has finished second seven times and third four times.
Sweetrayofsunshine (Last 3 Beyers: 77-74-64)
◗ She returns to the main track after trying turf last time.
◗ Although she has a strong win percentage, she has lost five of her last six starts, but her lone victory in that time came over this track in August.
Madam Aamoura (Last 3 Beyers: 56-74-66)
◗ Like Sweetrayofsunshine, she should appreciate a return to dirt after racing on turf last time.
◗ Her only win came when she made the lead and kept going over the speed-friendly surface at Los Alamitos. She will have plenty of company near the top in this race.
Enduring Erin (Last 3 Beyers: 69-78-70)
◗ She is stuck on the also-eligible list but would be a major player if she gets in.
◗ She won twice here during the summer meeting, then had a troubled trip last time in a starter allowance at Santa Anita. She also has a late-running style that would be beneficial in a race where the pace figures to be contested.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Cadet Roni. Trainer Mark Glatt is 6-4-0-0 with a $4.83 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on dirt with last-out winners. – Mike Hogan