Hollis Takes Home the Win in Jim McKay Turf Sprint
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Photo: Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club
Hollis wins the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes at Pimlico Race Course
WSS Racing and 4 G Racing's Hollis picked up the first stakes win of his career Oct. 1 when he led at every point of call in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico Race Course.
In what was his first trip to the Maryland track, the 5-year-old Street Sense gelding shot to the front of the field at the break under jockey Gabriel Saez. He was chased early by Francatelli and Joe Bravo, but continued to increase his lead through fractions of :22.59 and :46.39.
Saez continued to press Hollis forward, and the pair were 2 1/2 lengths clear of their nearest competition, Francatelli and Texas Wedge, in midstretch. But Completed Pass, who came from near the back of the field under Angel Cruz, cut between horses on the backstretch before swinging wide off the turn and made a run for the front.
Completed Pass ground down Hollis' lead in deep stretch, but the frontrunner held on and managed to eke out a neck victory. The final time for the five-furlong sprint was :59.61 on yielding turf.
"I can say that I've been having a decent meet the last couple of weeks. Horses have been running great for me," Saez said. "Now I'm here at Pimlico looking forward to a good performance on Saturday. We just started today. First ride of the weekend and here we are. Thank goodness."
Trained by John Alexander Ortiz, Hollis entered the Jim McKay off an Aug. 21 allowance-level race at Ellis Park. He has run in stakes company twice, finishing fourth in the Turf Dash Stakes in 2018 and fifth in the Aug. 2 Runhappy Preview Turf Sprint Stakes at Ellis.
Bred in Kentucky by Mueller Thoroughbred Stable out of the Pulpit mare Miss Inclined, Hollis was purchased by PTK for $120,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment to the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has a 6-2-0 record from 12 starts and $202,642 in earnings.
A Great Time Earns First Stakes Victory in The Very One
Larry Johnson's homebred mare A Great Time turned in a late-running performance Thursday to win the $100,000 The Very One Stakes on the turf at Pimlico by one length.
Under Julian Pimentel, A Great Time broke inward and made brief contact with another runner before straightening up. The pair were well off the pace in 11th, lengths behind leading Giggling, who led through a quarter-mile in :22.24.
Pimentel kept A Great Time steady along the backstretch, and she gradually gained ground. Coming off the turn she swung outward and got up to eighth as the field hit the top of the stretch. With a clear opening down the straight toward the wire, A Great Time dug in and began picking off rivals one by one.
A Great Time wins the 2020 The Very One Stakes at Pimlico
While Giggling faded in midstretch, new leaders Wild About Star, Ode to Joy, and Mr. Al's Gal battled but could not hold off A Great Time who, when switched to her correct lead and sailed past in the final strides to win in 1:00.14.
Sent off at odds of 10-1, A Great Time returned $23.40, $11.80, and $7 on a $2 wager.
"We didn't know she would handle it this well," trainer Mike Trombetta said. "This is huge because she was multiple stakes-placed, but to make her a stakes winner is important. It came at the right time.
"Julian does a great job. It was totally left up to him, and honestly, I was doubting his tactics going down the backside. I was like, 'Oh, geez, this is going to be tough.' But that's why he does what he does."
A Great Time entered The Very One off a score in a Sept. 15 allowance optional claiming race at Presque Isle Downs. The Maryland-bred daughter of Street Magician placed twice in stakes company before, running second in the Jameela Stakes in 2019 and third in the License Fee Stakes at Belmont Park July 3.
A Great Time is out of the Clever Trick mare Short Time, who is also the dam of grade 1 winner Victor's Cry. The mare improved her record to 4-5-3 from 19 starts and boosted her earnings to $223,512.
Video: Jim McKay Turf Sprint S. (BT)