Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Hollendorfer’s luck changes at new meet
DEL MAR, Calif. – Two days into the Del Mar autumn meeting, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s stable had amassed three wins, including Thursday’s $102,580 Lure Stakes with He Will.
The results were quite a turnaround from the track’s summer meeting, when Hollendorfer won five races from 80 starters – and had 17 seconds.
“We didn’t do anything good at the other Del Mar meet,” Hollendorfer said Thursday. “We had 17 seconds. We were putting them in the right spots.”
The results improved in the first two days of the current meeting. He Will ended an eight-race losing streak in the restricted Lure Stakes at a mile on turf. Hollendorfer said he’s planning to start He Will in the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf on Nov. 26, closing day.
He Will, ridden by Mike Smith, closed from eighth in the final furlong to win the Lure by a length over Tequila Joe.
“It looked like once he moved on him he would win,” Hollendorer said.
The 5-2 favorite, He Will had been winless in 51 weeks and seven straight stakes, including a second by a head in the California Dreamin’ Stakes for statebreds here in July.
Owned by Mark Schlaich, Andrew Hillas, George Todaro, Mark Randall, and Hollendorfer, He Will has won 6 of 19 starts and earned $322,619.
Masochistic back in training
Masochistic, a multiple stakeswinning sprinter, has resumed training after a summertime rest and is now based with a new trainer, Bob Baffert.
Baffert said last week that Masochistic was at Los Alamitos and would be transferred to Santa Anita in coming weeks.
Masochistic has not raced since finishing 13th in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 6, his final start for trainer Ron Ellis. Following that race, Masochistic was given a rest at Taylor Made Farms in Kentucky.
Owned by Will Shamlian and Samantha Siegel, Masochistic finished second in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita, but was later disqualified from the purse because of the presence of a banned steroid. Ellis faces a possible sanction for the positive. The case was heard by Del Mar stewards over the summer, but no decision has been announced.
A 7-year-old, Masochistic has won 8 of 16 starts and earned $857,550.
Run Away probable for Bob Hope
After Sunday’s program, racing resumes at Del Mar on Friday and runs through the weekend. There are two stakes next weekend, including the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs on Saturday.
The $100,000 Bob Hope Stakes drew 14 nominations, and could produce a few runners for the Grade 1 Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 9.
The list of probable Bob Hope starters includes Run Away, a three-time stakes winner for Kaleem Shah and trainer Simon Callaghan. Run Away was considered for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Saturday, but was not pre-entered.
Run Away has not raced since winning the Barretts Juvenile at Los Alamitos on Sept. 23. At the Del Mar summer meeting, Run Away won the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs in August and was third behind Bolt d’Oro as the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 4.
Trainer Bob Baffert said on Friday that he plans to start Mourinho and Talent Scout.
Mourinho was second in the Speakeasy Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 15. He set a quick pace and lost the lead to Beautiful Shot in the final furlong. Talent Scout won his debut in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 9.
The main race next Sunday is the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Barbara Beatrice, the winner of the California Distaff Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Oct. 14, is among the 10 nominees.
The Del Mar autumn meeting continues through Nov. 26. There will be four-day racing weeks from Nov. 16-19 and Nov. 23-26.