Hollendorfer, Miller Going Down to the Wire
Sunday’s penultimate race, the eighth on a nine-race program.
Going into Sunday, Jerry Hollendorfer and Peter Miller were in a flat-footed tie with 33 wins apiece. Their numbers across the board were close, also, to wit:
Hollendorfer has 181 starts, 23 seconds, 28 thirds and was winning at 18 percent. Miller has 179 starts, 31 seconds, 23 thirds and also was winning at 18 percent.
Hollendorfer more than doubles Miller in purse earnings, however, $3,417,698 to $1,614,206.
Hollendorfer, 68, had five horses entered today: 4-1 Seeking Asylum in the first race; Sweet and Fuzzy (6-1) and Dr. Fager’s Gal (9-2) in the sixth; Outside Nashville (15-1) in the seventh; and French Alps (8-5) in the eighth.
The 48-year-old Miller’s runners were Easter Fever (4-1) in the second; Spirited Jacob (6-1) in the fourth; Got Even (4-1) in the fifth; and U S Citizen (6-1) in the seventh.
Hollendorfer, dominant for years in the Bay Area where he has 46 titles at Golden Gate Fields alone, not to mention 36 straight at defunct Bay Meadows, has never won an outright crown at Santa Anita. He and John Sadler shared honors in 2013-14 with 34 each.
Miller, based at San Luis Rey Downs this meet, has never won a Santa Anita title. He won Del Mar’s 2012 summer meet with 21 wins; Del Mar’s 2014 fall meet with 15 wins; and tied for the 2014 summer session with Hollendorfer at 20 each.
MITCHELL MEMORIAL TOMORROW AT SANTA ANITA
A public memorial for longtime Southern California trainer Mike Mitchell will take place tomorrow at Santa Anita. The service, which is to start at 1:30 p.m. and run until 3 p.m., will be held in the track’s Chandelier Room.
Mitchell, who passed away following a lengthy battle with brain cancer at age 66 on Tuesday, trained in California for nearly 40 years and is survived by his wife, Denise and their two daughters, McCall (Rounsefell) and Shea (Leparoux). Additional surviving family includes his four siblings; a twin sister, Cheryl, and three brothers, Earl, Jr., Guy and Casey.
The Mitchell family has arranged for their pastor and the choir from their church, Fellowship Monrovia, to address those attending. There will also be a few other short speeches from designated speakers.
At the request of the family, donations may be made in Mike Mitchell’s name to the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA). The family has also requested that light refreshments be served at the memorial. Guests should enter by car through Gate 5 and follow signage to the Mitchell Memorial in the Chandelier Room.
FINISH LINES: Santa Anita Oaks winner Stellar Wind, who worked five furlongs Friday morning in 1:01, will ship next Saturday, April 26, for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks, trainer John Sadler said . . . Starting on May 22 and running through June 26, Santa Anita will offer Twilight Fridays, with a 4 p.m. first post time at its upcoming Summer Meet. The Paddock Room and Sirona’s will be open for simulcast wagering at 11 a.m., and at 7:30 p.m., or right after the last race, K-Earth’s Totally 80’s Concert in Sirona’s will begin and run until 9 p.m. . . . Birdlover will seek her third straight win when she runs in next Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at one mile on turf. “She’s at the top of her game,” said Steve Rothblum, assistant to Doug O’Neill . . . Agent Tony Matos has booked come-backing Corey Nakatani on Thegirlinthatsong for Jerry Hollendorfer in the Wilshire . . . Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano rides San Luis Rey third-place finisher Power Foot for Neil Drysdale in next Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Last Tycoon Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles on turf. Other probables include Ganesh (Flavien Prat) and San Luis Rey fourth-place finisher Play Hard to Get (Kent Desormeaux).
Source: Santa Anita Stable Notes