Sircat Sally stays unbeaten by taking California Cup Oaks
ARCADIA, Calif. - Sircat Sally’s unbeaten record after three races has left owner and breeder Joe Turner with a mental scorecard of her accomplishments.
“She had three different riders and won on three different tracks on two surfaces,” he said.
Sircat Sally’s latest accomplishment was a win in her turf debut in Saturday’s $200,000 California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old statebred fillies going a mile at Santa Anita. Ridden by Tyler Baze, a race-day replacement for an injured Drayden Van Dyke, Sircat Sally won by 2 1/4 lengths over 27-1 How About Zero.
Sent off favored, Sircat Sally ($3.80) was timed in 1:35.08.
Sircat Sally stalked pacesetter Adios Cali through the first half-mile - through fractions of 22.37 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 46.52 for a half-mile – before taking the lead in early stretch. The Cal Cup Oaks was the first time that Sircat Sally did not lead throughout a race.
“That was the question and I think she did it in nice fashion,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. “I was very pleased with the way she rated and showed speed to be tactical. That was beautiful to me.”
How About Zero finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of 5-1 Princess Roi, who was followed by Ms Wakaya, Bella Luma, My Pi Romancer, Cash Prize, and Adios Cali.
Sircat Sally, by Surf Cat, has won $178,200. In her first start, Sircat Sally beat California-bred maiden 2-year-old fillies by five lengths in a six-furlong race at Del Mar on Nov. 20 under jockey Mike Smith, and won her stakes debut in the Soviet Problem Stakes at a mile at Los Alamitos by 12 lengths on Dec. 17 under Van Dyke.
Van Duke sustained a severely broken arm in an accident on Thursday and is sidelined indefinitely.