Sam's Sister rallies to win Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sam’s Sister was bought for $125,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2012 but did not start until the summer meeting at Del Mar last July. Sam’s Sister has more than made up for lost time.

On Monday, she won her second consecutive stakes in the $200,250 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares over seven furlongs at Santa Anita. Sam’s Sister has won 5 of 6 starts and earned $427,450.

The start of her career was delayed by an injury that resulted in a period of rest at the Pegasus Training Center in Washington state. She joined trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s stable in early 2014.

“We’ve always liked this filly,” Hollendorfer said. “I liked her when I bought her. She had a little problem and went back to Pegasus. Here she is.”

Sam’s Sister won the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite. Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, Sam’s Sister was fourth on the backstretch, racing four of five lengths behind Sweet Marini and Dancinthenightaway, who dueled through quick fractions of 22.10 and 43.87 seconds for the first half-mile.

Sam’s Sister rallied wide on the turn to reach contention. Second with a furlong remaining, she caught Sweet Marini in the final sixteenth. Sam’s Sister ran seven furlongs in 1:22.42.

Hollendorfer said the quick pace “made it a little easier to close ground. We thought that might happen.”
Sweet Marini finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of Harlington’s Rose, who was followed by Dancinthenightaway, Lexington Pearl, and My Sweet Addiction.

Sam’s Sister, by Brother Derek, races for Mark Dedomenico, George Todaro, and Hollendorfer. She won her stakes debut in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Dec. 26.