Seattle Serenade gets a final sprint test
CYPRESS, Calif. – For the time being, Seattle Serenade is regarded as a sprinter by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
The colt won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs by a half-length at Del Mar on Nov. 12, and now meets winners in an optional claimer at six furlongs at Los Alamitos on Friday.
Seattle Serenade will be favored against seven rivals in the day’s seventh race. It may be his last sprint for the foreseeable future.
“If I can, I like to run a horse short a couple of times and try to stretch him out,” Hollendorfer said. “There was a mile race that we passed up a few days ago. We’ll try him in a sprint and see if we can get him stretched out.”
The seventh race is the first of two first-condition optional claimers on Friday’s eight-race program, which begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.
KEY CONTENDERS
RACE 5
Sir Samson (Last 3 Beyers: 80-59-65)
◗ Last February, Sir Samson was third, beaten a length, in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita. He was ninth behind Dortmund in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes a month later before being sidelined for the spring and summer.
◗ In two starts this fall, Sir Samson has struggled, finishing seventh and sixth in optional claimers. For Friday’s race, Sir Samson will be fitted with blinkers for the first time since the San Vicente.
Native Treasure (Last 3 Beyers: 88-78-77)
◗ A six-time winner, Native Treasure won the I’m Smokin Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar in 2012, and won three consecutive claiming races earlier this year at Golden Gate Fields.
◗ Native Treasure, 5, was a fast-closing second in an allowance race on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 15. This will be his first start on dirt since a second in an optional claimer at Del Mar on Sept. 5.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Holiday Camp. Trainer Bob Baffert is 32-9-9-2 with a $3.50 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt in sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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RACE 7
Seattle Serenade (Beyer: 89)
◗ Seattle Serenade has been based at Los Alamitos this fall, which Hollendorfer considers an asset in Friday’s race.
“He’s been training well,” he said. “We think he should run well.”
◗ In his maiden race win, Seattle Serenade was always near the front, trailed by a half-length with a furlong remaining, and won by a half-length as the even-money favorite. Mike Smith was aboard for the maiden win. Seattle Serenade is Smith’s only scheduled mount on Friday.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Seattle Serenade. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 21-4-6-5 with a $1.29 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints in Southern California in the second career start following a maiden win. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Vegas Strip (Last 3 Beyers: 84-77-58)
◗ Vegas Strip beat maidens in his seventh start, which came here in September 2014, and has made three subsequent starts.
◗ Trained by Bob Baffert, Vegas Strip has run twice this year, finishing third and second in optional claimers at Santa Anita in late September and October.
◗ Vegas Strip drew the outside post in the field of eight and is a threat from off the pace under Martin Garcia.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Feisty’s Cause. Trainer Jonathon Wong is 3-2-0-1 with a $6.00 ROI when going turf to dirt on the Southern California circuit. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 American Pride. Trainer Bob Baffert is 28-10-7-3 with a $4.04 ROI over the past five years going route to sprint on dirt following a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan