Kimberlea K impressive in Pleasanton run

Kimberlea K, the only filly in a field of nine California-bred 2-year-olds, proved to be the fastest of the fast and won the $100,675 Everett Nevin Stakes on Saturday at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton.

Sent off as the 9-to-10 favorite after a frontrunning 5½-length domination of fillies in her debut June 17 at Golden Gate Fields, Kimberlea K gained the lead soon after the start.

Unlike in her debut, in which Kimberlea K led by three lengths in the first 100 yards and led by eight at the top of the stretch, she faced pressure Saturday from Schulace.

Schulace, who won his debut by 3¾ lengths June 2 at Santa Anita, stayed within a halflength of Kimberlea K for the first quarter-mile. But Kimberlea K spurted clear on the turn of the 5½-furlong race, held a two-length lead in midstretch and hit the wire 1¾ lengths ahead of Schulace. Jacks Masterpiece, who led from the start in a 4½-length victory in his debut June 24 at the fair, finished one length behind Schulace in third Saturday.

“I knew there was a lot of speed in there, but I wasn’t worried about anybody else,” winning jockey Frank Alvarado said. “I thought if my horse broke well, she’d be on the lead, and that’s the way she did it.”

Alvarado also won the Juan Gonzalez Memorial for 2-year-old fillies July 1 with undefeated Song From Above. Asked to compare the two, Alvarado took the diplomatic way out.

“I don’t want to answer that question,” he said. “I’m keeping my mouth closed.”

Owned and bred by Kevin and Kim Nish’s KMN Racing LLC, Kimberlea K is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.

“She didn’t come out of there as fast as she did before, so Frank asked her a little bit and she opened up on them,” Hollendorfer said. “She was supposed to get a challenge in this race, and she did, but she’s very fast.”

While Song From Above will run next in the Wine Country Debutante on Aug. 13 at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Kimberlea K may be headed to the Southern California division of Hollendorfer’s stable.

“I kind of have high hopes for her,” Hollendorfer said. “If I was thinking longer-term, maybe she’d be good enough to run in the Del Mar Debutante (on Sept. 2).” Briefly: Earlier at the Alameda County Fair, Paddys Day beat defending champion Sand Victor by 2¼ lengths in the Grade 2, $52,650 Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Arabian Cup. … In an Arabian race with international amateur female jockeys, French insurance broker Ingrid Grard rode Dream Pearl to a wire-to-wire victory by six lengths in the $41,669 H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Cup. … Hollendorfer-trained It Tiz Well ($3.60) outfinished Proud and Fearless and Actress for a half-length victory in the Grade 3, $300,125 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park.