Top Kisser earns first stakes win at Spring Fever

ARCADIA, Calif. – Top Kisser saved Jerry Hollendorfer’s Saturday.

After losses in races such as the San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields and with Halo Dolly and Rousing Sermon in stakes at Santa Anita earlier in the day, Top Kisser won her first stakes in Saturday’s $125,750 Spring Fever Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares over six furlongs at Santa Anita.

The Spring Fever Stakes was Top Kisser’s first start since a seventh in the Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar last summer. She needed a rest following that race and was sent to owners Tom and Debbie Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds in Santa Ynez, Calif., Hollendorfer said.

“The Tommy Town facility is nice, and we turn horses out there,” Hollendorfer said. “She came back and responded.”

Top Kisser won the Spring Fever Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths over pacesetter Marks Mine. Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Top Kisser was third early and moved into second on the turn. Top Kisser took the lead entering the stretch and finished in 1:08.89.

Marks Mine held second, finishing 3 1/4 lengths in front of Warren’s Veneda. Quizzical was fourth, followed by Our Pure Creation (the 8-5 favorite), Could Be Trouble, Yes She’s Unusual, and Sudden Sunday.

Hollendorfer considered the Spring Fever Stakes as a comeback race for more significant races in the future.

“When I talked to the boss about running her, we wanted to get a race into her,” he said. “If she can do what she did last year, we should be in good shape.”

Top Kisser, by Old Topper, has won 5 of 9 starts and $265,550. The Spring Fever Stakes was her third stakes appearance. She was third in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes over a mile on turf at Hollywood Park last May and later won an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles on turf there last June.