IN THE PRESS

Vasilika passes major class test to win Santa Anita's Gamely Stakes

By Jonathan Lintner

Vasilika, now a winner of 13 of 14 races in the care of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, put an exclamation point on that total on Monday.

The former claimer surged late down the center of the track to win Santa Anita Park’s Grade 1, $500,000 Gamely Stakes. In doing so, she defeated some of her toughest competition yet.

In a major class test, it was a narrow second to the Chad Brown-trained shipper Rymska while upset-minded pace setter Ahimsa held on for third.

The final time under jockey Flavien Prat was 1:48.07 for nine furlongs after a masterful ride. Vasilika, a 5-year-old daughter of Skipshot, found herself between horses nearing the far turn before Prat took her back, then begin to rally on the outside.

"Prat didn't like where he was, so he let her drift back a little bit," Hollendorfer said. "He knows she has a big turn of foot, so that's why he thought he could get away with it." With confident guidance, Vasilika swallowed up her competition in the stretch, adding a second Grade 1 victory to her resume.

That’s also now 4-for-4 this season in a year when the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf runs in Vasilika’s backyard at Santa Anita, where she's 11-for-12 on the grass.

"This one really ranks up quite well with all of them because Jerry has kept (her) going," said George Todaro, who campaigns Vasilika with Hollendorfer, Gatto Racing and All Schlaich Stables. "...As Jerry says, when they're happy, they run better."

Off at 8-5 in the field of eight, Vasilika paid $4.20 to win

Vasilika Up Late For Emotional Megahertz Victory

Edited Press Release from paulickreport.com

Aided by some unexpected early pace pressure to the eventual runner-up, heavily favored Vasilika came rolling from off the pace to take Monday's Grade III, $100,000 Megahertz Stakes by 1 ½ lengths under Flavien Prat. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Vasilika, a miracle $40,000 claim 11 starts back, got a mile over a Santa Anita turf listed as “good” in 1:34.82.

The emotion from the connections was palpable in the winner's circle; part-owner Dan Gatto passed away from an apparent heart attack on Saturday, according to drf.com.

An attentive fifth a half mile from home, Prat sat chilly as Joel Rosario, aboard La Sardane, went after pacesetter Ms Bad Behavior. Full of run while well within herself around the far turn, Vasilika rallied four-wide turning for home and ran down Ms Bad Behavior inside the sixteenth pole to win going away.

“When Drysdale's filly (La Sardane) made that early move, it put pressure on Smith's filly (Ms Bad Behavior and it helped me,” said Prat, who has now guided Vasilika to nine wins (four of them graded stakes) in her last 10 starts. “I didn't want to be in a hurry, but she really picked it up and she finished well. I think a mile and one eighth might be her best (distance).”

A winner of eight consecutive races prior to finishing fourth as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade I Matriarch Stakes at one mile on turf Dec. 2 at Del Mar, Vasilika was off at 3-5 in a field of six older fillies and mares and paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10.

Claimed on Feb. 11 of last year, Vasilika, a 5-year-old mare by Skipshot who is out of the Marquetry mare La Belle, is owned by All Schlaich Stables, LLC, Hollendorfer, LLC, Gatto Racing, LLC and George Todaro, has now won nine out her 11 starts for her new connections and improved her overall resume to 29-14-4-3. With the winner's share of $60,000, she now has earnings of $818,595.

“You know, you never expect this kind of thing to happen, but occasionally it does,” said Hollendorfer. “I hope she fits in our program, we did some extra work on her but you know, she's blossomed into a very nice mare now. Flavien did his usual great job and got her out just in time. She ran them down and we can't ask for more.”

Vasilika Victorious in G2 John C. Mabee

By Curtis "Magic" Kalleward

DEL MAR, CA – Trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer’s $40,000 claim on Vasilika back in February continued to pay dividends on Saturday when the filly broke through for her first major career score in the Grade 2, $200,000 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar.

Breaking from post 9 under Flavien Prat as the second betting choice at 4/1, Vasilika sat between horses in mid-pack while the speedy Fahan Mura raced out to a wide early lead and posted fractions of :23.67, :47.25, and 1:11.92. Entering and through the far corner, Vasilika still sat sandwiched by foes as the field began closing the gap on the runaway leader. Finally finding room at the tail-end of the turn, Prat steered Vasilika four-wide around the wall in front of her and commenced a rally to the front. Collaring the leader inside the final furlong, Vasilika drew off late and outlasted the 4/5 favorite Cambodia to win by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:47.25 for the 1 1/8-mile turf event.

“I had to bide my time on the turn, but when I saw a hole, she gave me a great kick,” Prat said. “Big race for her; big effort. Very impressive.”

Soundly supported following her last-out victory in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap and her status as defending champion, Cambodia failed to fire strongly enough to catch the winner in the stretch and had to settle for second. Though unable to keep pace with the top pair, Fahan Mura continued on well late to finish only a neck behind in third. Meal Ticket spent much of the race chasing the leader but faded late to finish fourth ahead of Sophie P. Sixth was close, with Achira heading The Tulip, while Madame Stripes failed to fire and took eighth. Midnight Crossing, Cheekaboo, and Vagabond Princess completed the order of finish. Cordiality and Storm the Hill were scratched.

Vasilika’s win was her sixth straight and eighth in her last nine starts, which improved her record to 25-11-4-3. The 4-year-old daughter of Skipshot, who didn’t begin turning things around until she arrived in November from the east coast, has now earned $440,595.

“We walked over with a lot of confidence,” said Hollendorfer, who shares ownership duties with partners All Schlaich Stable, Gatto Racing, and George Todaro. “We respect Cambodia and Vladimir Cerin’s horse (Fahan Mura), but we thought we had a really good chance to win. She’s been training so well and doing so well.”

Vasilika returned $10.40 to win, $4.20 to place, and $3.40 to show. Cambodia brought back $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show, while Fahan Mura paid $4.80 to show.

Gatto is 'Game' TDN

When conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer approached Dan Gatto about going in on the purchase of a five-year-old mare named Parranda (English Channel), it did not take much convincing.
   "I got a call from Jerry and he said he had a line on this horse," said Gatto, who owns Gatto Racing LLC with his 29-year-old son Nick. "He described her to me and asked if I wanted to go in with him on her. I decided to say yes as soon as I looked at her past performances."
   The chestnut started this term with a win in the Florida Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf S. at Gulfstream Jan. 18 and captured that venue’s GIII Suwanee River S. next out Feb. 8. She was purchased from Lone Stable LLC by Hollendorfer, Gatto Racing LLC, G. Cambell, D. Clark and G. Skoda following a sixth in Hallandale’s GII Honey Fox S. Mar. 15.
   "I love Jerry Hollendorfer and think he is one of the best trainers out there," Gatto said, in reference to what made him think the mare’s success would translate to California. "I also know where his strengths are. I am not trying to discredit the prior trainer [Rodolfo Garcia], but I just knew Jerry could really substantially improve the horse, not that she needed that much improvement."
   Gatto continued, "I thought that she would be a great fit for what we have here in Southern California. I also thought that Jerry’s training methods would give her a significant enhancement. I would not have gone in on the horse if Jerry was not going to be the trainer."
   Gatto’s faith in Hollendorfer paid off when Parranda captured Santa Anita’s GIII Wilshire S. Apr. 27 in her first outing for the new connections. She is currently being aimed at Monday’s GI Gamely S. on the Arcadia lawn. The Gamely is 1 1/8 miles, which is the same distance as her two prior wins this season.
   "She had a work this morning and went six furlongs [on the dirt at Santa Anita] in 1:13," Gatto commented. "She did extremely well. I think the rider was extremely pleased with the work. All systems are moving straight forward very well."
   As far as what is next for the chestnut, Gatto said the race they choose will depend on her performance Monday, but she will definitely be heading to Del Mar.
   "I am hopeful that we will have her in a stakes race at Del Mar, God willing she stays healthy," the 58-year-old said. "But, which one will depend on how she does Monday. If she does well, we will aim as high as we are with the Gamely and if she doesn’t we will look at maybe a Grade III. That would be primarily Jerry’s call."
   Started seven years ago, Gatto Racing is partners on four other horses trained by Hollendorfer. They also have two with a partner in training with Peter Eurton and two they own outright, also in training with Eurton.
   "A very good friend of mine acquired a lower level claiming horse named Senator Maddy at Del Mar and we live very close to Del Mar," Gatto said in reference to how he got into racing. "The horse made a thrilling $2,000 and I have been hooked ever since."
   The younger Gatto followed in his father’s footsteps, but took it a step further when he moved to Lexington, Kentucky for several years to work at Taylor Made Farm. He eventually returned to California to work for Jenny Craig’s Rancho Paseana until it closed last year, and now has started his own small syndicate separate from Gatto Racing LLC.
   "We are always looking to expand [our string]," Dan Gatto said. "Breeding will be next. We have a 5-year-old mare who will be retiring from racing and she will probably be our first broodmare."

POINT PIPER SETS TRACK RECORD - bloodhorse.com

Point Piper, owned by Dan Gatto, Russo Racing, and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, capitalized on a fast early pace to win the $200,000 Longacres Mile (gr. III) Aug. 14 at Emerald Downs and in the process set a track record for one mile at the Washington racetrack. Watch Replay

Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Point Piper covered the distance in 1:32.90 on a track rated fast. It was the fifth victory in 24 starts—and his first since late August 2015 at Del Mar—for Point Piper, a 6-year-old horse by Giant's Causeway out of 2001 Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) and Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) winner Imagine, by Sadler's Wells.

The Longacres Mile, named for Emerald Downs' predecessor, drew a field of 11 including heavy favorite O B Harbor, an Oregon-bred 4-year-old gelding by Harbor the Gold who had won three consecutive stakes at Emerald Downs, including the Budweiser Stakes at one mile. O B Harbor as expected took the lead in the Longacres Mile under Jose Zunino and set quick fractions for the two-turn event.

The leader went the opening quarter-mile in :22.66 and a half-mile in :44.70 with Prime Engine chasing several lengths back in second. By the time O B Harbor passed the six-furlong mark in 1:08.76, Cyrus Alexanderand Point Piper had begun picking off horses from the back.

Cyrus Alexander, winner of the Lone Star Park Handicap (gr. III) and also trained by Hollendorfer, got the jump on Point Piper but couldn't hold him off in the stretch. Point Piper drew way and defeated his stablemate by 4 3/4 lengths.

O B Harbor was another three-quarters of a length back in third, followed by Alert Bay in fourth and two-time Longacres Mile winner Stryker Phd in fifth. Point Piper paid $12.80 to win and capped a $61.40 Hollendorfer-trained exacta.

Point Piper was eighth at the half-mile call, but Gutierrez indicated he wasn't concerned.

"He was relaxed," the rider said. "He broke good and he had a good trip. Everything opened up for us and he exploded in the stretch."

"It's really amazing," Gatto said in the winner's circle. "We flew all the way from San Diego for the race. We really wanted 'Super Mario' to ride this horse, because every time he rides for us he wins. (Assistant trainer) Dan Ward kept assuring me, 'He's going to win, he's going to win.' Well, he was right."