Blood Tests Reveal Problem With Clubhouse Ride

Trainer Craig Lewis said Saturday morning that blood tests taken earlier this week in the aftermath of a last-of-six finish a week earlier in the San Diego Handicap were revealing.

“His blood (cell) count was down dramatically,” Lewis said. “Low in white cells, low in red cells.  I’m pretty sure it impacted his performance in the San Diego.” The cause, Lewis said, could be stomach ulcers.

“Visually, he looks fine,” Lewis said. “The job now is to get him back healthy again. He’s on meds and we’ll keep testing his blood and treating him.”

Hollendorfer Aims To ‘Take Two’ With Three In Hirsch

U’narack came back “super” from his winning effort in Friday’s $200,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, reported Dan Ward, assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The victory in the fifth career and first stakes start for U’narack, a 3-year-old son of Unusual Heat, positioned the Hollendorfer stable for possible back-to-back stakes victories should one of its three starters in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes upset defending race champion Include Me Out.

The Hollendorfer trio in the Hirsch are: Lady of Fifty (6-1 morning line), Via Villagio (12-1) and Sister Kate (20-1).