Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer threw his hat in the Triple Crown ring on Sunday
as Peter Redekop’s CAUSE TO BELIEVE (Maria’s Mon) proved best in the stretch of
the $250,000
El Camino
Real Derby (G3) at Bay Meadows. The gray sophomore put his name on the watch
list for this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) with his first graded stakes victory.
Jockey Russell Baze kept Cause to Believe within striking distance on the
rail as Objective (El Corredor), tracked by Bold Chieftain (Chief Seattle), set
splits of :23, :46 4/5 and 1:10 3/5. Entering the stretch, Cause to Believe
responded when asked and moved up rapidly on the rail, going a mile in 1:35 1/5,
and completing the 1 1/16-mile fast-track event in 1:41 4/5.
Leaving the gate at 5-2, the winning colt returned $7.40, $4.40 and $4.60.
Objective re-rallied near the wire but was not able to catch the leader, coming
three-quarters of a length shy in second. Place gave back $8.40 and $8.40 at 11-1,
while Bold Chieftain paid $6.20 at 7-1 for the bronze position. The $1 exotics
returned $25.30 for the exacta and $130.70 for the 1-3-7 trifecta. Even-money
favorite A.P. Warrior (A.P. Indy) failed to hit the board, finishing fourth, followed by Wanna Runner (El Corredor) and Acolyte (Victory Gallop). Passive
Income (High Yield) was scratched from the race.
Cause to Believe nearly doubled his earnings to $280,565 while improving his
line to 8-5-3-0. This was his fourth stakes victory, all achieved on the
Northern California circuit. He was most recently a good second to Too Much
Bling (Rubiano) in the San Miguel S. at Santa Anita.
Bred in Kentucky by Overbrook Farm, Cause to Believe is out of the unraced
Storm Cat mare Imaginary Cat and is a half-brother to a two-year-old colt
named Fast Pitch (Aptitude) and an unnamed yearling colt by Mizzen Mast.
The winning colt was purchased for $30,000 by Hollendorfer at the OBS March
Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale.