Tamarando tops Snow Chief as Santa Anita hosts Gold Rush Day

Tamarando tops Snow Chief as Santa Anita hosts Gold Rush

Day

"I think I won nine stakes before he wrote that article. In the next two

years, I won 37 stakes. It was that article that made the difference."

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has already achieved fame, and numerous trophies,

but will look to add the Snow Chief to his mantle when saddling Tamarando. A Kentucky Derby hopeful prior to a disappointing eighth-place finish as the favorite in the

March 22 Spiral at Turfway Park, the Bertrando colt hopes to regain the form that enabled

him to win the Del Mar Futurity and two other stakes as he heads a field

of eight sophomores bred or sired in California in Saturday's contest.

Tamarando was away slowly as the

2-1 favorite in the 12-horse Spiral and never got untracked en route to

an 11 1/2-length defeat over Turfway Park's synthetic Polytrack. Prior to that,

the dark bay was an

impressive half-length victor of the El Camino Real Derby on Golden Gate Fields'

all-weather Tapeta. He'll be

trying turf for the first time in the Snow Chief with Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Hollendorfer will also saddle Pray Hard, who will try two turns for the first time and help to ensure

a solid pace in the Snow Chief. A gelding by Kafwain, Pray Hard was an impressive three-length

allowance winner as the 3-5 favorite two starts back going six furlongs. He comes off a fourth-place finish at 6

1/2 furlongs in the Echo Eddie on April 5. Corey Nakatani has the call.

One race before the Snow Chief, trainer Mike Machowsky's Rovenna will shoot for her third

consecutive win as she heads a field of eight sophomore fillies in the $250,000

Melair

at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Knapp hopes to turn the tables on Rovenna, who

outsprinted Harlington's Rose in the Evening Jewel.

"We just have to

hope that someone goes with Rovenna on the front end," he remarked. "I think there's plenty of

speed in the race, and my horse has learned how to relax, so we'll be fine."

Barring the unforeseen, Storm Fighter is the one to catch

in the $125,000

Tiznow

at one mile on the main track earlier on the card. The four-year-old Stormin Fever colt trained by Bruce Headley

is coming off a front-running,

three-quarter length victory over track and distance on April 5.

"He's working really well, and he's turned into a

beautiful, mature horse," Headley said. "It looks like he's ready to go."

Storm Fighter will get tested for class as he aims for his third win from

seven starts. Edwin Maldonado has the call.

With more than $700,000 in earnings, Rousing Sermon is easily the leading money earner in

the race. The Hollendorfer pupil looms large despite

finishing a well-beaten sixth in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 8.

Winner of the 7 1/2-furlong On Trust Handicap last November, Rousing Sermon was then a close third in

the Native Diver and an even

fifth in the San Pasqual prior to his Big 'Cap run. The Lucky Pulpit

five-year-old keeps Bejarano in the saddle.

Hollendorfer will also saddle Kate's Event, the elder statesman at age seven in

the seven-strong field and winner of

last year's Tiznow at the now-shuttered Hollywood Park.

Trainer Barry Abrams' Lakerville will try dirt for the first time Saturday in

the Tiznow and the six-year-old chestnut rates a chance if he can

demonstrate a closing kick similar to the one he unfurled when second in the

grassy San Simeon two weeks ago.

The Bay Area-based Specht saddles Marks Mine in the $125,000

Spring Fever, and the four-year-old Benchmark filly drew the rail against

seven rivals. The bay miss was an authoritative half-length winner as the

even-money favorite in the Camilla Urso at Golden Gate Fields in March going the

same six-furlong distance as the Spring Fever.

"Once in a while she'll take a stutter step leaving there

and not get away so great, but most of the time she leaves there in a hurry, and

it doesn't look like there's anything directly to her outside that's going to

pester her too much," Specht said of the inside post. "She shipped down here in good shape and she'll

be tough."

Marks Mine has an impressive resume that includes seven wins, two seconds and a

third from 10 starts at six furlongs. She will be handled by regular rider

Frank Alvarado, who was aboard for her five-furlong drill at Golden Gate Fields

last Sunday

in 1:00 2/5.

Trainer Craig Lewis is hoping his Warren's Veneda will come

back running after finishing third in the Bayakoa at Hollywood

Park on December 7. An impressive allowance winner at Santa Anita last October 13, the

four-year-old Affirmative filly has proven effective routing

but will try six furlongs for the first time Saturday. Warren's Veneda will be

ridden by Joe Talamo.

Idle since running a close seventh in the 8 1/2-furlong Osunitas Stakes over Del Mar's

grassy last July, Hollendorfer's Top Kisser

will try dirt for the first time in her ninth career start. She's routed

on turf in her last seven races, but has the advantage of breaking from the

outside post 8 with Nakatani. The Old Topper mare also captured last year's

Fran's Valentine on the final Gold Rush program at Hollywood Park.

Hollendorfer's Halo Dolly seeks millionaire

status as she heads a field of seven older fillies and mares in the $100,000

Fran's Valentine

to get the 2014 Gold Rush stakes action underway. The one-mile turf contest,

like the rest of the Gold Rush races, is being contested for the first time at

Santa Anita.

Halo Dolly comes off an authoritative win going a mile on dirt in the March

23 Dream

of Summer. Although winless in three tries over the Santa Anita

lawn, the six-year-old Popular mare has eight wins from 10 starts at a mile on grass.

Nakatani will be aboard Halo Dolly, who needs to run first or second to eclipse

the million dollar mark in winnings.

Trainer Jeff Bonde's Unusual Way

comes off a second-place finish to Halo Dolly as the 1-2 favorite in the Dream

of Summer and will try to turn the tables Saturday. Blessed with an abundance of

speed, the four-year-old Unusual Heat filly will be ridden for the first time in

10 starts by Bejarano.

Ciao Bella Luna will be stretching out to a mile here after capturing the Sunshine Millions Filly &

Mare Turf Sprint in January, finishing second in the Irish O'Brien on March 15,

and running fifth in the April 12 Las Cienegas in her past three, all at 6 1/2 furlongs down

Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Trained by Peter Miller, the four-year-old

Tribal Rule filly gets Victor Espinoza in the pilot's seat.

First post time on Saturday is 1 p.m. (PDT). Admission gates will open at 11

a.m.

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