From Santa Anita Publicity
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ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 19, 2015) – Stakes winner Velvet Mesquite returns once again to the surface she has clearly excelled over on Saturday. Velvet Mesquite will take on 13 rivals in the Sunshine Millions Cal Cup Day’s edition of the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course for Golden State Seres eligibles.
Owned and bred by Harris Farms and trained by Blake Heap, the 5 year-old mare was a strong third in the Gr. II Monrovia down the hillside in her last out Jan. 4. A staggering five for seven when running over the course, Velvet Mesquite will seek her second stakes win Saturday. By In Excess out of the Huddle Up mare Mesquite, Velvet Mesquite is 11-5-2-1 overall with earnings of $284,606.
A hillside professional in her own right, Carla Gaines’ Heat Trap comes off a second place finish in the Gr. II Monrovia. Owned and bred by Mark Devereaux and Scott Gross, the 6- year-old will break from the far outside with regular rider Victor Espinoza in an attempt to win her first-ever stakes race.
By Unusual Heat, Heat Trap has two wins, two seconds and a third from five tries down the hill. She is 12-4-5-1- overall with earnings of $291,956.
Current leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will send out Doinghardtimeagain in only her second-ever attempt down the hill. Owned and bred by Tommy Town Thoroughbreds, LLC, the 5-year-old has run in 15 straight stakes races.
In her latest turf try, the mare by Ministers Wild Cat was pulled up and vanned off in the one mile Solana Beach Handicap at Del Mar Aug. 17. Jockey Mike Smith said it was purely precautionary and that “I knew she had a foot issue before and I felt her feet were stinging her so I didn’t want to take any chances.”
Third in the 6 ½ furlong Kalookan Queen Dec. 28, Doinghardtimeagain will again be reunited with Elvis Trujillo, who when paired with Hollendorfer has been in the money 55% of the time this meet.
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More Complexity is by Square Eddie, out of the Yonaguska mare Marquis Diamond, was bred by J. Paul Reddam, is owned by Reddam Racing and is trained by Edward Freeman. She has four wins in 11 starts, earnings of $215,220 and is coming off a sixth in the Dec. 26 La Brea.
Air of Royalty is by Anziyan Royalty, out of the Slewpy mare Airsong, was bred by owner Nick Cafarchia and trained by Mark Glatt. She has two wins in six starts, earnings of $102,780 and is coming off a third in a Jan. 8 optional claimer.
Home Journey is by Good Journey, out of the Came Home mare Goodtobehome, was bred by Mark Giardino, Daryle Ann Giardino and John Elick, is owned by GGG Stables and Russell Sarno and is trained by Mike Puype. She has four wins in 10 starts, earnings of $189,920 and is coming off a win in a Nov. 21 optional claimer.
Velvet Mesquite is by In Excess, out of the Huddle Up mare Mesquite, was bred by owner Harris Farms and is trained by Blake Heap. She has five wins in 11 starts, earnings of $284,606 and is coming off a third in the Jan. 4 Monrovia.
Tribal Gal is an Arizona-bred by California Stallion Tribal Rule, out of the Western Fame mare Famous Gal, was bred by owner John Pendergast and is owned by R. Kory Owens. She has eight wins in 22 starts, earnings of $337,535 and is coming off a second in the Dec. 28 Kalookan Queen.
Heavens Stairway is by Decarchy, out of the River Flyer mare Kind Friends, was bred by Joshua Litt & AJM Racing, is owned by AJM Racing and JBK Stable and is trained by Marty Jones. She has four wins in nine starts, earnings of $136,510 and is coming off consecutive optional claimer wins.
Go West Marie is by Western Fame, out of the Swiss Yodeler mare Marie’s Rose, was bred by Summer Mayberry, is owned by Peter Redekop and is trained by Eddie Truman. She has four wins in 16 starts, earnings of $312,520 and is coming off a win in a Dec. 28 optional claimer.
Doinghardtimeagain is by Ministers Wild Cat, out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Silver Hawk Lady, was bred by owners Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. She has six wins in 18 starts, earnings of $734,054 and is coming off a third in the Dec. 28 Kalookan Queen.
Kathleen Rose is by Good Journey, out of the Decarchy mare Cantina’s Rose, was bred by owner B&B Zietz Stables and is trained by Mike Machowsky. She has five wins in 15 starts, earnings of $341,488 and is coming off a fifth in the Dec. 27 Robert Frankel Stakes. She was sixth in this race last year.
Shakeitupbetty is by Ghostzapper, out of the Is It True mare Ring True, was bred by Thomas Bachman, is owned by Seltzer Thoroughbreds and is trained by J. Eric Kruljac. She has two wins in 10 starts, earnings of 116,232 and is coming off an eighth in a Nov. 29 optional claimer.
My Monet is by Decarchy, out of the Lord Avie mare Madam, was bred by Ridgeley Farm, is owned by KM Racing and trained by George Papaprodromou. She has three wins in seven starts, earnings of $96,300 and is coming off an eighth in an optional claimer.
Marks Mine is by Benchmark, out of the Capote mare Ermine Fever, was bred by owners Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams and is trained by Steven Specht. She has eight wins in 20 starts, earnings of $400,501 and is coming off a second in a Dec. 14 allowance. She was second in this race last year.
Magic Spot is a Kentucky-bred by California stallion Papa Clem, out of the Generous mare Sweet Spot, was bred by Royalty Stables and BG Stables, is owned by BG Stables and Hector Palma and is trained by Palma. She has four wins in 10 starts, earnings of $182,910 and is coming off a fourth in a Dec. 28 optional claimer.
Heat Trap is by Unusual Heat, out of the Deposit Ticket mare Trapunto, was bred by owners Scott Gross & Mark Devereaux and is trained by Carla Gaines. She has four wins in 12 starts, earnings of $291,956 and is coming off a second in the Jan. 4 Monrovia.