Sircat Sally keeps rolling

ARCADIA, Calif. – The unbeaten Sircat Sally is likely to follow a pattern of graded stakes on turf for 3-year-old fillies in Southern California in the coming months.

Sircat Sally won her sixth race with the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at a mile on turf Saturday. The victory is likely to lead to a start in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf June 17. Another option is the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on May 29.

Sircat Sally has won five stakes and earned $408,860 for owner and breeder Joe Turner and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. In the $100,345 Senorita Stakes, Sircat Sally ($2.80) led throughout and repelled a few challengers in the final half-mile to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 5-1 Beau Recall.

Sircat Sally was timed in 1:35.83 and ran the final furlong in 11.37 seconds.

“With a turn of foot like that, we might as well stay on the grass,” said Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant. “The June 17 race gives us more time, it’s turf, and it’s the same money.”

Sircat Sally leads or races near the front. The Senorita was her second graded stakes win, preceded by the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf April 8.

Stewart Elliott rode Sircat Sally on Saturday, replacing Mike Smith, who rode at Churchill Downs. Elliott worked Sircat Sally twice in the buildup to the Senorita.

“She was everything I thought and more,” he said. “She kind of holds back and doesn’t do more than you ask of her.”

Bowies Hero faces adversity

To reach the winner’s circle following Saturday’s $81,725 Singletary Stakes at Santa Anita, Bowies Hero dragged his nose through the turf at the start and rallied past most of his nine rivals in the one-mile turf race.

The style of the win in Bowies Hero’s first start of the year has left trainer Phil D’Amato eager for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 3, even if the $250,000 turf race is nearly four months off.

“The ultimate goal is the Del Mar Derby,” D’Amato said Sunday. “I think 1 1/8 miles will fit him.”

Bowies Hero won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf at age 2 last year and later was 11th of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf here last November.

Bowies Hero was given the winter off, with D’Amato and owners Michael Martinez and Jeff Hebert focused on keeping the colt on turf. Bowies Hero was not nominated for the Triple Crown.

In the Singletary, Bowies Hero stumbled badly at the start but recovered quickly under jockey Tiago Pereira. A 7-1 shot, Bowies Hero closed from ninth behind a quick pace to win by a half-length over 7-2 Bird Is the Word.

“It’s not the start you want,” D’Amato said Saturday. “But when I saw those fractions, I didn’t worry. I thought he could come with a late kick.”

Bowies Hero has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $120,585. He began his career in Texas, where he won a maiden race at Lone Star Park last summer before joining D’Amato’s stable.

Bowies Hero could start in the $75,000 Rainbow Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf June 10 before the Del Mar summer meeting. D’Amato said Bowies Hero may start twice at Del Mar, with races such as the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes on July 19 and the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 6 to be considered as preps for the Del Mar Derby.

“Maybe we’ll look at running in two of the three races at Del Mar,” D’Amato said.