Sam’s Sister fresh and fit for Rancho Bernardo
DEL MAR, Calif. – Sam’s Sister was in peak form last winter, winning the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes and the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes for female sprinters in consecutive starts at Santa Anita. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer hopes those will not be the best races of her career.
On Sunday, Sam’s Sister starts in the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. A win would put her closer to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
“I think she is that kind of filly,” Hollendorfer said on Thursday. “Definitely.”
A 4-year-old, Sam’s Sister drew the outside post in a field of seven that includes Taris, the winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland last October, and Baruta, an improving Brazilian-bred mare who won an allowance race here at six furlongs July 17.
The Rancho Bernardo is the fourth race on a 10-race program.
KEY CONTENDERS
Sam’s Sister (Last 3 Beyers: 77-76-92)
◗ Sam’s Sister has lost three consecutive races since the Santa Monica, including a third-place finish in the Desert Stormer Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita in June. The Desert Stormer was her first start since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 4.
“We gave her plenty of time, and we think we have her ready,” Hollendorfer said. “She just needed a little time. We freshened her.”
◗ In the Desert Stormer, Sam’s Sister closed from ninth in a field of 11 to miss by 1 1/2 lengths to 43-1 winner Amaranth, who led throughout.
“It was a very good race,” Hollendorfer said.
◗ In the La Brea and Santa Monica stakes, both at seven furlongs, Sam’s Sister closed from off the pace to reach the front in the final sixteenth. The speedy Amaranth is not in the Rancho Bernardo field, but Taris, Wasted at Midnight, and Uzziel could contribute to a quick pace.
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Taris (Last 3 Beyers: 86-110-99)
◗ Taris was purchased for $2.35 million by Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Susan Magnier at auction last November. In her first start for trainer Simon Callaghan, Taris was 7-10 to win the La Brea but finished second by a half-length. She was later found with a fracture in an ankle that required surgery and a lengthy rest.
◗ Callaghan has hopes for the BC Filly and Mare Sprint with Taris, especially since she won the Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland last year. At the same time, Callaghan warns that Taris should be better after Sunday’s race.
“She’s been training well, but she’s not cranked up,” Callaghan said. “Sunday is not our goal. We’ve got bigger goals for her. It’s nice to get her back.”
Baruta (Last 3 Beyers: 92-86-83)
◗ The Rancho Bernardo will be the American stakes debut for Baruta, who has won her last two starts, which came in optional claimers and allowance races. Trained by Richard Mandella, Baruta is the only member of the field with a win at this meeting, having taken a six-furlong allowance race July 17.