Kimberlea K to challenge males in Everett Nevin
Like most American trainers, Jerry Hollendorfer rarely runs females against males — he hasn’t even done it with superstar Songbird. But he will with Kimberlea K in Saturday’s $100,000 Everett Nevin Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds at the Alameda County Fair.
Owned and bred by KMN Racing LLC of Fairfield residents Kevin and Kim Nish, Kimberlea K sped to a 5¼-length victory over fillies in her five-furlong debut June 17 at Golden Gate Fields. She had a 3-length lead after the first 100 yards and effortlessly opened up eight lengths on her opponents in early stretch.
Six of her eight opponents in Saturday’s 5½-furlong race come off of front-running maiden wins, including Jacks Masterpiece, who did it by 4½ lengths at the fair June 24. Jacks Masterpiece earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 61 — four points better than Kimberlea K’s.
“It’s not an easy spot, but we want to try her in there,” Hollendorfer said. “Males are stronger, but at this time of year with 2-year-olds, the horses would be a little more equal than later on. It’s not such a bad thing to try right now.”
Hollendorfer preferred the Everett Nevin Stakes over the Juan Gonzalez Memorial for 2-year-old fillies won impressively by Song From Above on July 1.
“I didn’t want to run her back in 15 days, so this gave me an extra seven days to work with her,” Hollendorfer said. “This race is double the purse and Cal-bred only.”
Hollendorfer expected Kimberlea K to run well in her debut, but not to be so dominant from the start.
“The only reason it was a surprise is that she will do exactly what the rider wants her to do,” he said. “I didn’t really expect her to be that fast.”
From the No. 4 post position Saturday, Kimberlea K will have front-runners to both her inside and outside.
“I don’t see anybody else who went 21 (seconds) and change,” Hollendorfer said.
Kimberlea K clocked 21.68 seconds for the first quarter-mile in her debut, and the next-best fraction that day at Golden Gate Fields was 22.25. Among her opponents Saturday, Walk On Water had the fastest first quarter of 22 seconds.
Briefly:
In other stakes Saturday, Hollendorfer has It Tiz Well in the Grade 3, $300,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park and Constellation in the Grade 2, $200,000 Great Lady M and Taman Guard in the $100,000 Bertrando at Los Alamitos. … Belmont Park hosts two Grade 1 events Saturday: the $1.2 million Belmont Derby and the $1 million Belmont Oaks. Also on its program are the Grade 2, $750,000 Suburban Stakes, the Grade 2, $350,000 Belmont Sprint and the Grade 3, $400,000 Dwyer Stakes.