Sam's Sister Closes for Santa Monica Win
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Off the early pace through the opening stages, Sam's Sister came running off the turn and wore down front-runner Sweet Marini to win in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes (gr. II) , her second straight graded stakes victory, Jan. 19 at Santa Anita Park.
With Elvis Trujillo riding for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Sam's Sister closed ground through the stretch after racing in fourth early and scored by 1 1/4 lengths as the 6-5 favorite. Sweet Marini held on for second in the six-horse field, 2 3/4 lengths to the good of third-place finisher Harlington's Rose.
Hollendrfer earned his sixth stakes win of the Santa Anita meet, which began Dec. 26. He had scratched Sam's Sister out of the 1 1/16-mile La Canada Stakes (gr. II) July 17, a race he also won with outsider Thegirlinthatsong.
Sam's Sister settled well behind the :22.10 opening quarter set by Sweet Marini, who was briefly overtaken on the backstretch by Dancinthenightaway as the half went in :43.87. Sweet Marini came on again, snatched back the advantage, and had a 1 1/2-length lead coming into stretch. Sam's Sister was full of run wide around the turn and entered the lane with ground-devouring strides. Taking charge at the sixteenth pole, she edged clear late for the decisive victory.
Final time for seven furlongs was 1:22.42 over a fast track.
Trujillo said he had a perfect trip aboard the 4-year-old daughter of Brother Derek.
"I knew there was going to be a lot of speed in there and I knew it would be fast early on. But I knew that sooner or later they would have to stop. She's a nice filly. I knew Martin (Garcia on Sweet Marini) would stop; it was too fast for three horses head-to-head."
Garcia said Sweet Marini got a little tired.
"We were going pretty fast up front and when we got to the stretch the other horse just got by us today."
Sam's Sister entered off a late-rallying win in the La Brea (gr. I) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, defeating Taris by a half length. She is a perfect 3-for-3 at seven furlongs and has a won five of six starts overall for owners Mark Dedomenico, Hollendorfer, and George Todaro.
Sam's Sister returned mutuels of $4.40, $2.60, and $2.20 and Sweet Marini paid $3.40 and $2.80. Harlington's Rose paid $3.40 to show.
Dancinthenightaway finished fourth, followed by Lexington Pearl and My Sweet Addiction to complete the order of finish.
Stakes-placed Kittery Point, by Include, is the dam of Sam's Sister, whom Hollendorfer secured for $125,000 from breeder Brereton Jones' Aidrie Stud's consignment at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale.