Zenyatta tops Milady; Tiago and Heatseeker resume rivalry
in Californian
Unbeaten ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), a smashing 4 1/2-length winner of the
Apple Blossom H. (G1) in her last outing, is clearly the one to beat in
Saturday’s $175,000 Milady H. (G2). The 1 1/16-mile event will share the
spotlight at Hollywood Park with the $250,000 Californian S. (G2), which
features another exciting match-up between Grade 1 winners TIAGO (Pleasant Tap)
and HEATSEEKER (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway).
Zenyatta towers over her six rivals in the Milady. Four-for-four in her
career, the four-year-old debuted last November at Hollywood and captured her
first three efforts over Cushion Track in California, including an easy score in
the El Encino S. (G2) two starts back at Santa Anita. She made a seamless
transition to dirt at Oaklawn Park in the Apple Blossom, blowing past champion
Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) with a powerful rally from off the pace, and the
dark bay miss will face a far less accomplished group as the 122-pound
highweight on Saturday. Mike Smith will retain the mount on the John Shirreffs
runner.
KRIS’ SIS (Forestry), who exits a runner-up in the grassy Wilshire H. (G3),
will lead the post parade under a 113-pound impost that includes Julio Garcia.
Multiple Grade 2 queen FOXYSOX (GB) (Foxhound), winner of the grassy Santa
Barbara H. (G2) most recently, will break to her immediate outside. She’ll carry
117 pounds and Victor Espinoza. Next comes Santa Lucia H. runner-up MODEL
(Giant’s Causeway), Alonso Quinonez, 113; Grade 1 winner ROMANCE IS DIANE (In
Excess [Ire]), Michael Baze, 118; Wilshire third-placer LA TEE (Broken Vow),
Tyler Baze, 113; Zenyatta; Santa Maria H. (G1) victress DOUBLE TROUBLE (Brz)
(Wild Event), Rafael Bejarano, 116; and Hawthorne H. (G3) runner-up SANTA
TERESITA (Lemon Drop Kid), Joseph Talamo, 116.
The Californian figures to be far more compelling. A small but talented field
of five will contest the 1 1/8-mile test, which serves as a prep for the
Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) on June 28, and Tiago and Heatseeker will meet for the
third time this season. Heatseeker got the best of his rival when capturing the
prestigious Santa Anita H. (G1) two starts back, but Tiago exacted a measure of
revenge when posting a game head decision in the Oaklawn H. (G2) last time out.
Rafael Bejarano will guide the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Heatseeker, and Smith
returns to the saddle on the Jerry and Ann Moss-owned Tiago, who shares the same
connections with Zenyatta.
SURF CAT (Sir Cat) adds even more depth to the strong field. A six-time Grade
2 victor, the Bruce Headley pupil exits a half-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile
Mervyn Leroy H. (G2) at Hollywood. The six-year-old is approaching the $1
million-mark in earnings, and the versatile horse excels in both sprints and
routes, capturing the seven-furlong San Carlos H. (G2) three starts ago. Alex
Solis, who has been aboard for all of Surf Cat’s starts since he broke his
maiden in April 2005, will once again be in the irons.
Tiago will spot Heatseeker four pounds as the 126-pound top weight, and Surf
Cat gets in light at 118.
SHAMDINAN (Fr) (Dr Fong), winner of the Secretariat S. (G1) and second in the
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), will make his synthetic debut in the Californian, and
Swaps S. (G2) runner-up ALBERTUS MAXIMUS (Albert the Great), a sharp 6
1/4-length allowance winner most recently for Gary Mandella, rounds out the
line-up.
In post order, the contestants are Heatseeker; Tiago; Shamdinan, Jon Court,
116; Surf Cat; and Albertus Maximus, Corey Nakatani, 116.
Hollywood will also offer the $75,000
Manhattan Beach S. A cast of six sophomore fillies will sprint six grassy
furlongs, and MINI DO (Hold for Gold) and STARRY PURSUIT (Van Nistelrooy), who
both exit allowance/optional claiming victories over the course, are the top
draws.