Rating off the front-running Dover Dere (Cherokee Run) for the opening
half-mile of Saturday’s $361,000
Swaps Breeders’ Cup S. (G2) at Hollywood Park, Aase Headley and
Marsha Naify’s SURF CAT (Sir Cat) put his head in front turning for home and
never looked back en route to a five-length win under jockey Alex Solis. The
Bruce Headley-conditioned sophomore stopped the clock in 1:48 for the
nine-furlong fast track affair, recording his first stakes win in the process.
After drifting out a bit in the first turn, Surf Cat settled just to the
outside of the front-running Dover Dere through splits of :23 3/5 and :47 1/5
and appeared to let him get away on the backstretch. The dark bay had plenty
left, however, and made another bid at that rival entering the second turn, gaining a
slight advantage through three quarters in 1:11 1/5. From there, Surf Cat and
Solis widened their lead, 3 1/2 lengths in front after a mile in 1:35 1/5 before
kicking well clear through the stretch. Dover Dere held second and Indian Ocean
(Stormy Atlantic), third at every call, finished out the top three.
Surf Cat gave back $5.40, $3.60 and $3 as the 8-5 second choice, while Dover
Dere returned $7.40 and $5 and completed the $21.90 exacta ($1). Indian Ocean,
who offered little to threaten the leaders in the stretch at 3-1, paid $3.80 for
the show and finished the $64.10 trifecta ($1). Robador (Robannier) rounded out
the $289.80 superfecta ($1) (5-2-7-3), and was followed by 6-5 favorite Don’t
Get Mad (Stephen Got Even) and Old Man River (Event of the Year). Yes He’s a
Pistol (Yes It’s True) and Khyber Pass (Running Stag) were scratched.
With this win, Surf Cat more than doubles his career earnings to $290,020 and
now shows a line of 6-3-3-0. Bred in Kentucky by William Nicholis and Gainesway
Farm, the $25,000 Fasig-Tipton February purchase is out
of the winning Trust Greta (Centrust), and is a half-brother to multiple stakes
winner Rosie O’Greta (Fight Over) as well as an unnamed two-year-old half-sister
by Ordway.