Sherlock got quite a bargain at yearling sale

The California October yearling sale was about half over last fall when the filly Listisimo went into the ring. At the time, it did not seem like an important moment.

Listisimo was purchased for $2,500 by trainer Gary Sherlock as something of a gamble. It has already paid off.

Listisimo, a rare California-bred More Than Ready filly, won a $49,200 maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park on Wednesday, a performance that has Sherlock convinced that she will play a factor in the statebred stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

Making her second start, Listisimo ran 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.55 seconds, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over Seattle Sweetie.

"She won easily," Sherlock said. "I think she wants to go further."

Sherlock bought Listisimo from a reduction of holdings of the Mabee family's Golden Eagle Farm. Sherlock owns the filly with Tom Grether Farms.

"They didn't put a reserve on her," Sherlock said of Golden Eagle. "I was in the right place at the right time. I liked her."

Listisimo is out of the Boston Harbor mare Harbor Princess. More Than Ready stands at Vinery Stud in Lexington, Ky., for a $60,000 fee.

Debut time at hand

By any measurement, it is early in the season for 2-year-old racing. Many of the best prospects will be unveiled over the next three months, particularly as the opening of the Del Mar meeting on July 16 nears. Regardless of what California-breds emerge in coming weeks, Sherlock has a filly who should be well-suited for races such as the $125,000 CTBA Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs on July 18 and the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes over six furlongs on Aug. 27, both for statebreds.

Another filly capable of starting in those races is Gonging Wild, who set a two-furlong track record of 20.87 seconds at Santa Anita in April.

Gonging Wild will make her stakes debut in Sunday's $75,000 Cinderella Stakes at Hollywood Park. The Cinderella, which drew a field of eight 2-year-old fillies, including five California-breds, will be Gonging Wild's first start for Sundance Racing Stable and trainer Paul Aguirre.

Gonging Wild raced for Galley Farm and trainer Adam Kitchingman when she won her debut at Santa Anita. While Galley Farm retains an ownership interest in the filly, Kitchingman is no longer the trainer.

Gonging Wild is by Expressionist, and was that stallion's first winner. Gonging Wild was purchased privately by Sundance Racing Stable shortly after the maiden win. The Sundance partnership is a group of Aguirre's clients, the trainer said.

Aguirre is taking a cautious approach to Sunday's race. He fears that she may not be ready for a top race, and is already looking toward Del Mar.

"I think we're going into the race a little short," he said. "Our goal is to get her ready for the Del Mar Cal-bred stakes. I don't think she can win. She seems like she's got some quality and can hit the board."

Idiot Proof back in training

Idiot Proof, the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Sprint last October and the Golden Shaheen Stakes in Dubai in March, has resumed training with Clifford Sise at Hollywood Park.

Owned by breeders Marty and Pam Wygod, Idiot Proof is not likely to start until later this summer. The Wygods and Sise are hoping to run Idiot Proof twice at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita this fall - a defense of his title in the Grade 1 Ancient Title Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 25.