Fred Carrillo and Daniel Cassella’s BORDONARO (Memo [Chi]) grabbed the early
lead in the $98,000
Vernon O. Underwood S. (G3) at Hollywood Park on Saturday
and never relinquished his advantage en route to a three-length score in the
six-furlong affair. Ridden by Pat Valenzuela, the
four-year-old gelding was never seriously challenged against only three rivals as the Bill Spawr
trainee led 4-5 favorite Captain Squire (Flying Chevron) through splits of :21
3/5, :43 4/5 and :55 2/5. Bordonaro completed the race in 1:08 over a fast track.
The winning gelding left the gate at 2-1 to return $6.40 and $4, keying the
$19.30 exacta ($1) over Turnbolt (Deputy Minister), who passed Captain Squire to grab
the place and give back $6.40. Captain Squire and
Lifestyle (Indian Charlie) rounded out the order of finish. Indian Country
(Indian Charlie) was a late scratch.
Bred in California by his owners, Bordonaro is out of the winning Miss
Excitement (Rajab) and is a full brother to an unnamed yearling colt and a
half-sibling to a weanling filly by Mud Route. Bordonaro has one other stakes
victory to his name, the California Cup Starter Sprint H., and improves his
record to 8-6-0-0 with $207,164 in earnings.