Heat the Rocks Tries Turf in Cal Cup Oaks

Leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will once again pair with jockey Elvis Trujillo when he sends out Heat the Rocks Jan. 24 in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Xpressbet California Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the Santa Anita Park turf course. 

Though she has never tried turf, 3-year-old Heat the Rocks has run well at a mile, finishing second in her last out, the Dec. 7 Soviet Problem Stakes at Los Alamitos. The filly by Unusual Heat is owned by Hollendorfer, Brett Tahajian, and George Todaro. Bred in part by Hollendorfer and Todaro as well, Heat the Rocks has a win and two seconds from four starts overall with earnings of $90,160. She breaks from the 4 hole; all runners carry 117 pounds.

Hollendorfer will also send out Light One, a horse from his Golden Gate Fields contingent, in the Oaks. The Comic Strip filly comes off a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight win at Golden Gate Dec. 27, her first start with Hollendorfer after making her debut Dec. 6 as a runner-up  for trainer James Greg.

Owned by Gatto Racing, USA Thoroughbred Racing Management, and Gray, et al, Light One has that win and second from her two starts with earnings of $27,040. Rafael Bejarano has the mount from post 6.

Northern-California based trainer Steve Specht has the most experienced filly in the gate with Swiss Skimmer, who has run the mile distance in her last four outings in an eight-race career. Coming off a maiden special weight win at Golden Gate Dec. 14, the Swiss Yodeler filly is owned and bred by Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams. She has a 1-1-3 record from those eight starts, with earnings of $41,103.

Second going a mile on turf in a maiden special weight at Santa Anita Jan. 1, Doug O'Neill's Silver Starlight will break from the far outside with new rider, French import Flavien Prat.

The filly by Marino Marini   is owned by Neil Haymes, Michael Ryan, and Sterling Stables. She is a maiden with a second and a fourth from two starts.

Tim Yakteen and Phil D'Amato will send out Patsy G and Me and Sheer Pleasure respectively off six furlong maiden special weight wins at Los Alamitos Dec. 19.