Tell a Kelly seeks to continue ascent in Oak Leaf; Bourbon
Bay returns
Oak Tree caps its action-packed opening weekend at Hollywood Park with two
more Grade 1 events on Sunday. TELL A KELLY (Tapit), the dominating winner of
the Darley Debutante S. (G1), will try to cement her position as the West
Coast’s top two-year-old filly in the $250,000
Oak Leaf
S. (G1), while BOURBON BAY (Sligo Bay [Ire]), a turf star during the
winter/spring meet at Santa Anita, returns from his summer break in the $250,000
Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S. (G1).
Tell a Kelly will be making her first start away from Del Mar, and her first
two-turn attempt, in the 1 1/16-mile Oak Leaf. The John Sadler pupil was a
troubled fifth in her career debut, but broke through next time out with a
powerful, last-to-first rush. Tell a Kelly was even more impressive in her
stakes bow in the Darley Debutante, where she employed another electric move
from the tail of the field to score by 4 1/2 lengths. If the chestnut garners
her third in a row with Alonso Quinonez, she promises to be a top contender for
the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Sadler isn’t concerned about whether Tell a Kelly will pack the same punch
going two turns.
“She’s by Tapit,” he said. “I think she’ll be fine.”
RIGOLETTA (Concerto) got up for third in the Darley Debutante, a half-length
ahead of a wide-trip IZSHELEGAL (Maria’s Mon). Though still a maiden, Izshelegal
has been turning in creditable efforts while competing exclusively in stakes
company. Her best effort was arguably her barnstorming runner-up finish in the
Landaluce S. here in her first start, and a return to Hollywood, along with the
added ground, could help the Terry Knight trainee.
“She didn’t do good at Del Mar and didn’t have a good trip in either race,”
Knight said of Izshelegal, who was third in the Sorrento S. (G3) prior to the
Darley Debutante. “I don’t know if it was the surface, but she just didn’t do
good down there.
“She seems more settled here. Hopefully that will carry over.”
The Bob Baffert-trained ALIENATION (Rock Hard Ten), who won at first asking
at Hollywood, spent August at Saratoga. A clear second to the sidelined Position
Limit (Bellamy Road) in the Adirondack S. (G2), she again settled for runner-up
honors to R Heat Lightning (Trippi) in the Spinaway S. (G1).
Jerry Hollendorfer will send out recent maiden winners PACIFIC PRIDE (Storm
Cat) and INDIAN GRACEY (Indian Ocean). TRUE WAY OF GRACE (Yes It’s True), well
beaten by Rigoletta and a troubled third to Pacific Pride two back, enters off
her maiden-breaking win in the restricted Barretts Debutante S. for Alexis Barba.
The Clement L. Hirsch figures to yield a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup
Turf, and Bourbon Bay, a perfect four-for-four this campaign, brings the best
resume. The Neil Drysdale charge emulated Horse of the Year Kotashaan (Fr) by
sweeping Santa Anita’s long-distance turf events, the San Luis Obispo H. (G2),
San Luis Rey H. (G2) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (G2) last time out
on April 18. Bourbon Bay faces two obstacles, however: he is returning from a
five-month layoff and cutting back to 1 1/4 grassy miles in this spot. Regular
rider Rafael Bejarano will try to keep the gelding’s winning streak going.
Bourbon Bay’s stablemate, MARLANG (Langfuhr), looms as the lone speed. The
Drysdale veteran played that hand to perfection with a front-running coup in the
Sunset H. (G3) over this course, and he is eligible to bounce back from a
clunker in the Sword Dancer Invitational S. (G1) at Saratoga.
CHAMP PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) is an upwardly-mobile type from the Richard
Mandella barn. The late-developing four-year-old finished an encouraging second
to Marlang in the Sunset, then earned his first stakes victory with a smart
rally in the Del Mar H. (G2), defeating BUENOS DIAS (Ire) (Peintre Celebre),
WORTH REPEATING (Giant’s Causeway) and FALCON ROCK (Ire) (Hawk Wing).
The hardy UNUSUAL SUSPECT (Unusual Heat), who was third in the Sunset in his
last turf try, comes back from a third in the Windy Sands H. on Del Mar’s
Polytrack. Completing the field is WHERE’S THE REMOTE (Unbridled Native), the
winner of two straight optional claimers for Mike Mitchell.
The $55,000
Louis
R. Rowan S., a 6 1/2-furlong dash for fillies and mares, kicks off the
Sunday stakes action. Three of the five entrants are exiting the C.E.R.F. S. at
Del Mar — winner FUND RAISER (Harlan’s Holiday) and fifth-placer MOTHER RUTH (Speightstown),
both from the Baffert barn, along with Sadler’s C.E.R.F. third MINUTE LIMIT
(Ire) (Pivotal). The remaining two contestants took part in the Rancho Bernardo
H. (G3). Ten-times stakes-placed SILVER SWALLOW (Alphabet Soup), third in the
Rancho Bernardo, was most recently third again in the Adoration S., while
TASTE’S SIS (Marquetry) was last seen finishing a distant fourth in the Rancho
Bernardo.