From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 22, 2014)—Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams, prominent among California’s top owner/breeders, will be represented by two talented homebred fillies, the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained Swiss Lake Yodeler, and the Steve Specht-conditioned Alasharchy, in Saturday’s $200,000 California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf.
An important component to the Golden State Series for horses bred or sired in California, the Oaks is part of a newly created Sunshine Millions California Cup Day at Santa Anita that will offer fans six stakes and 10 races overall.
By the venerable California-based Swiss Yodeler, Swiss Lake Yodeler comes off a rousing one length win in the seven furlong Soviet Problem Stakes versus state breds Dec. 21 at Betfair Hollywood Park and is a neck away from being undefeated in four starts.
Attentive to the pace, she was an easy 2 ¼ length winner of the one mile Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 1 at Santa Anita and will no doubt be favored with Rafael Bejarano engaged to ride her back. She has amassed earnings of $235,600.
Based at Golden Gate Fields with Specht, Alasharchy was an impressive 1 ¼ length allowance winner going one mile on turf Nov. 29, and was tagged late to finish second, beaten a half length, two starts back in the mile turf Pike Place Dancer Stakes Oct. 26.
She’ll be ridden by Bay Area-based Frank Alvarado, who has guided her to an overall mark of 5-2-1-0.
Reddam Racing, LLC’s, homebred Sprouts, third to Swiss Lake Yodeler in the Soviet Problem, may rate a seasoning edge, as she’ll be making her seventh start in the Oaks. A winner of the 5 ½ furlong CTBA Stakes at Del Mar two starts back July 19, the daughter of Square Eddie will be trying a route of ground for the first time and could make the early lead under regular pilot Mario Gutierrez.
Sprouts is trained by Edward Freeman and she has three wins and a third from six starts and earnings of $171,490.
Second, beaten a length by Swiss Lake Yodeler in the Soviet Problem, Donald Dizney’s homebred Rovenna was third three starts back to “Swiss” in the one mile Golden State Juvenile Fillies. Trained by Mike Machowsky, Rovenna rates a big chance in the Oaks—her sixth career start.
In addition to Swiss Lake Yodeler, Hollendorfer will also saddle upstart Princess Genevieve, who was a very impressive gate to wire Cal Bred maiden special weight winner at odds of 4-5 going a mile on turf Jan. 9. Owned by her breeders, Hagop Nakkashian, Harry Bederian and Harout Kamberian, the Whatsthescript filly will be making her third start and will be ridden back by Mike Smith.
The complete field for the California Cup Oaks, to be run as the seventh on a 10-race program Saturday, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Norastone, Alonso Quinonez, 117; Susans Express, Kent Desormeaux, 117; Harlington’s Rose, Tyler Baze, 117; Alasharchy, Frank Alvarado, 117; Chilada, Martin Pedroza, 117; Princess Genevieve, Mike Smith, 117; Kukaluka, Gary Stevens, 117; Sprague River, Joe Talamo, 117; Sprouts, Mario Gutierrez, 124; Rovenna, Victor Espinoza, 117; Water Issues, Martin Garcia, 117; Cal Gal, Irving Orozco, 117; Swiss Lake Yodeler, Rafael Bejarano, 124, and Anniversary Kitty, Corey Nakatani, 117.
There is a special early first post time on Saturday at 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.