Trio of Hollendorfer fillies finds stakes success

ARCADIA, Calif. – The three fillies trainer Jerry Hollendorfer started Sept. 5 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante all won stakes at the Santa Anita autumn meeting. They may have greater success on the regional and national scenes in the coming weeks.

On Saturday, Stays in Vegas, fifth in the Debutante, won the $101,500 Surfer Girl Stakes on turf. On Sunday, Surfside Tiara, seventh of 10 in the Debutante, won the $74,000 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. And on Sept. 26, Debutante winner Songbird won the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes.

Songbird is the most prominent of the group and could give Hollendorfer his first win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland on Oct. 31. She may be joined on that trip by Stays in Vegas, a candidate for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct. 30. Surfside Tiara is likely to stay in Southern California for the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Nov. 15.

This is Hollendorfer’s deepest team of 2-year-old fillies.

“I’ve always wanted to have enough young horses to try to develop them,” said Hollendorfer, 69. “This year, we have a few that are developing faster.”

The Hollendorfer-trained fillies are the only Debutante runners to win their first starts since that race. Land Over Sea and Right There, who were third and fourth in the Debutante, were second and third in the Chandelier. Pretty N Cool, second in the Debutante, is a probable starter Saturday in the $200,000 Matron Stakes at six furlongs at Belmont Park. One True Kiss and Come to Mischief were sixth and 10th in the Debutante but well beaten in their next starts.

Songbird, who races for Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, has thrived since her easy win in the Chandelier. Songbird worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Monday at Santa Anita under regular rider Mike Smith.

“She seems really steady in her efforts,” Hollendorfer said. “I think we’re on the right track.”

Songbird, by Medaglia d’Oro, was purchased for $400,000 as a yearling and is unbeaten in three starts, having won a maiden race at Del Mar in late July. She is scheduled to fly Oct. 25 to Kentucky.

The win by Stays in Vegas was a surprise. The filly was 7-1 in the Surfer Girl and making her turf debut and first start beyond seven furlongs. She won the one-mile Surfer Girl by 2 1/4 lengths over Lucky Folie, who was disqualified and placed third for interfering with third-place finisher Mirage in the stretch.

On Monday, Hollendorfer said a decision had yet to be made on whether Stays in Vegas will go to Keeneland. Stays in Vegas, who races for the partnership of Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing, KMN Racing, and LNJ Foxwoods, won the Wine Country Debutante at Santa Rosa in August. She has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $130,600. Stays in Vegas was purchased for $40,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale.

Surfside Tiara was beaten 17 lengths in the Del Mar Debutante but ran a much different race in the Anoakia. She was fifth of seven early and closed well through the stretch to catch the 9-1 Uptown Twirl in the final furlong.

“She rebounded,” Hollendorfer said.

Surfside Tiara has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $96,350 for a partnership. She was bought for $120,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training in Florida in March.

The style of Surfside Tiara’s win in the Anoakia suggests she will be suited to the distance of the Desi Arnaz, which was run as the Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park until that track’s closure in 2013.

The Railbird frequently drew improving fillies. Surfside Tiara fits that criterion, which puts her right at home in Hollendorfer’s stable this year.