NEWS
Hollendorfer eyes Breeders’ Cup for Blind Luck
Posted: Sunday, August 22, 2010 3:08 PM
BLIND LUCK WINNING LAS VIRGENES
Benoit & Associates photo
by Phil Janack
By 8 a.m. EDT on Sunday morning, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was on a plane back to Southern California for the day’s card at Del Mar. Before heading to the airport, he stopped at the barn of Racing Hall of Famer trainer Allen Jerkens at Saratoga Race Course, where the best three-year-old filly in the country has taken up residence for the past week.
Blind Luck’s dramatic victory in the Betfair TVG Alabama Stakes (G1) (VIDEO) on Saturday over multiple Grade 1 winner Devil May Care gave the chestnut Pollard’s Vision filly an undeniable edge in the race for champion three-year-old filly honors.
“I would say she has a right to say that, yes, right now,” Hollendorfer said. “I hate to make those kinds of assessments, but we’ll see what she can do the rest of the year. We’d like to be around at the end of the year for the Breeders’ Cup [Ladies' Classic (G1)].”
Blind Luck won for the fifth time in seven starts this year and picked up her third Grade 1 win, following victories in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Las Virgenes Stakes (G1). She captured the Delaware Oaks (G2) at Delaware Park on July 10 in her previous start.
Blind Luck has earned nearly $1,878,712 in 13 lifetime starts. Hollendorfer co-owns the horse with Mark DeDomenico, John Carver, and Peter Abruzzo.
“I’m just satisfied to win,” Hollendorfer said. “We try to win every race. I give all the credit to my filly. I’m just the one that gets to train her. A horse like that is special. If you have one like that, it’s special to see them every day.”
Hollendorfer was particularly pleased with the way Blind Luck was able to make her typical late run despite having to close into a slow pace of six furlongs in 1:14.81.
“It was a little worrisome, but it was kind of a funny track,” he said. “I didn’t see a lot of horses closing ground, so I was pleased to see we could do that. Coming into the lane, I thought she would have a good chance to run them down. I didn’t know until the wire that we had actually won it.”
Hollendorfer wants to keep Blind Luck against three-year-olds prior to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic on November 5 at Churchill Downs, with the $750,000 Cotillion Stakes (G2) at Philadelphia Park on October 2 an option.
Despite upsetting local favorite Devil May Care, who faded to fourth after making a bold, sweeping rally into the stretch, Blind Luck received a standing ovation from the crowd of 30,852 as she returned to the winner’s circle following the Alabama.
Trainer Todd Pletcher was mystified by the effort of Devil May Care, the 7-to-5 Alabama favorite who was unbeaten in two previous starts at Saratoga, including her Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) victory on July 24.
“She didn’t fire for some reason,” Pletcher said. “[Jockey] Johnny [Velazquez] felt like she was off the bridle down the backside, and you would think with the fractions as slow as they were, that she would have been tugging him along. She made a little bit of a bid around the turn, but just didn’t seem to have it for some reason.”
Owned by Glencrest Farm, Devil May Care has won three of six starts in 2010, taking on males and finishing 10th of 20 in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). She was beaten by 4 ½ lengths in the Alabama.
“She trained up to it really well,” Pletcher said. “I thought she handled the paddock well; she looked good in the post parade and in the gate. She came back sound, scoped cleanly, and looked good this morning. It’s one of those things where you have to draw a line through it and try again.”
Pletcher is considering the Cotillion or Beldame Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on October 2 for Devil May Care’s next start.
“When you’re kind of dumbfounded by a performance that’s not what you expect, you’re always looking for something. Right now, it hasn’t shown,” Pletcher said. “She’s still a great filly and has run some big races.”
Phil Janack is a Saratoga-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Eric, Chicago, IL on August 25, 2010 at 07:56 AM
All of the credit in the world to Blind Luck. However, I don't think this crop of 3yr old fillies is very good and she seems to barely get it done everytime. I understand that a win is a win but as a Handicapper, these are the beatable favorites that you live for. The Ladies Classic might be your Money Maker on BC Day.
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Posted by: Bob, Richmond, VA on August 23, 2010 at 09:51 PM
There's not an ounce of doubt in my mind that Blind Luck can and will win the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic. Depending on the outcome of the Personal Ensign. She may even find herself racing against Rachel Alexandra in the race. Because if Rachel falters in the Personal Ensign because of not being able to get a 1-1/4? I just don't realistically see Jess Jackson gambling his filly would be embarrassed in the Breeders Cup Classic instead of racing her in the Breeders Cup Ladies Classic. A race she'd have a more realistic chance of winning, IMO. But personally. If the Ladies Classic found both Blind Luck and Rachel Alexandra in the same starting gate. My money would be on Blind Luck to win. Simply because Rachel Alexandra just doesn't seem to be racing at anywhere near the same level in 2010 that she raced at in 2009. JMO.
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Posted by: Handicapper, Inglewood, CA on August 23, 2010 at 03:03 PM
Mr Hollendorfer has done a tremendous job with Blind Luck, great choice to point her to the B.C.Ladies Classic, she will be tough to beat.
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Posted by: Mimi, San Antonio, TX on August 22, 2010 at 08:00 PM
The Breeders Cup Ladies Classic is a great choice for this great filly. And the Beldame seems to be a good choice for Devil May Care, too. It would be nice to see them face each other again; I don't think Devil May Care was quite ready, mentally, in the Alabama. I don't know; she just didn't seem to have her all at the end of the race. I'm sure she'll bounce back, though. They are both very good looking but Blind Luck is a little better looking that DMC, I think. I mean, she's just gorgeous! She's the perfect blend of feminine and fast, like other pretty and fast mares like Rachel Alexandra, (her confo is pretty and especially her FACE!!) Rags To Riches, Zenyatta, Life At Ten, Devil May Care; there's a lot of them! <3
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