Sircat Sally will likely point to Honeymoon Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - The unbeaten filly Sircat Sally is likely to follow a pattern of graded stakes on turf for 3-year-old fillies in Southern California in coming months.

Saturday, Sircat Sally won her sixth race in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at a mile on turf. The victory is likely to lead to a start in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on June 17. Another option is the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on May 29.

Sircat Sally has won five stakes and earned $408,860 for owner and breeder Joe Turner and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. In the $100,345 Senorita Stakes, Sircat Sally ($2.80) led throughout and repelled a few challenges in the final half-mile to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 5-1 Beau Recall.

Sircat Sally was timed in 1:35.83 and ran the final furlong in 11.37 seconds.

“With a turn of foot like that, we might as well stay on the grass,” said Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant. “The June 17 race gives us more time, it’s turf, and it’s the same money.”

Sircat Sally leads or races near the front. The Senorita was her second graded stakes win, preceded by the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on April 8.

Stewart Elliott rode Sircat Sally on Saturday, replacing Mike Smith, who rode at Churchill Downs. Elliott worked Sircat Sally twice in the build-up to the Senorita.

“She was everything I thought and more,” he said. “She kind of holds back and doesn’t do more than you ask of her.”