Wolfson Team Outnumbers Rivals in Ema Bovary Saturday

Trainer Marty Wolfson has entered multiple runners in stakes races on several occasions at this Calder Casino & Race Course meet, particularly when races could go on turf or dirt; and will have rival horsemen surrounded as he has five of the nine fillies and mares entered in Saturday's $55,000 Ema Bovary overnight stakes with five different jockeys named to ride them in the 6 ½ furlongs test.

Andrew Rosen's 4-year-old filly First Passage and Timothy O'Toole's 6-year-old mare Saratoga Tango are the most accomplished of the Wolfson contenders, although somewhat of a disappointment finishing seventh and eighth, respectively, in the $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1) won by Wolfson-trained stablemate Jessica Is Back on Summit of Speed day, July 10.

Jockey Kristi Chapman is named to ride First Passage as the well-bred daughter of Giant's Causeway bids to regain the form that saw her win the $200,000 Azalea Stakes (G3) on Summit day last year and the $65,000 U Can Do It Handicap prior to the Princess Rooney when she failed to deliver her usual stretch kick.

The other options Wolfson has to choose from in the Ema Bovary are Stud El Aguila's Saintly Rose, Cecilio Penalba; Peachtree Stable's Boleyn, Luis Saez; and Farnsworth Stable's Bronx City Girl, Jermaine Bridgmohan. Elver Nunez is named to ride Saratoga Tango.

The biggest threat to the Wolfson team Saturday may be World Thoroughbred Racing's 4-year-old filly Don'ttalktome with Manoel Cruz aboard for trainer Chad Stewart. The chestnut daughter of Cactus Ridge rallied from 10th to finish fourth in the Princess Rooney after a rough start. In her previous appearance she finished third to First Passage and Saratoga Tango in the U Can Do It following a three-month layoff.

Completing the field for the Ema Bovary are Wayne DeCosta and Jose Pinchin's Golden Mystery, Josue Arce; Nancy Curl's Dynanna, Wilmer Galviz; and Michael Sucher's Hot Hot Mama, Luis Arango.

The Ema Bovary is named for the Chilean-bred mare that shipped into Calder from trainer Larry Ross' Northern California headquarters to capture the memorable 2004 edition of the Princess Rooney on Summit day by two lengths over Bear Fan second with Lady Tak third. The Princess Rooney was Ema Bovary's final start after posting 13 victories in 19 starts with three seconds.

Blind Luck Redux with Cathy's Crunches at Del Mar?

Last summer, veteran California horseman Jerry Hollendorfer led a syndicate to purchase 2-year-old filly Blind Luck privately not long after she won her career debut at Calder Casino & Race Course on June 21 by 13 ¼ lengths for trainer Jim Hatchett when racing for a $40,000 claiming tag and no takers.

A daughter of Pollard's Vision, Blind Luck went on to win her next start at Del Mar on July 29 in a starter/allowance by 3 ¼ lengths before emerging as a national division leader as the season played out. With victories this year in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and most recently the Delaware Oaks (G2), she leads her class at this point in the season as her career bankroll has reached more than $1.5 million.

Wednesday at Del Mar, Hollendorfer sent out 2-year-old Florida-bred filly Cathy's Crunches for an impressive 1 ¼ lengths victory in a starter/allowance at Del Mar in her second career start after a winning debut at Calder for trainer Kathleen O'Connell.

Cathy's Crunches was homebred in Florida by Gilbert Campbell and won her career debut by 9 ½ lengths on June 25 racing for a $25,000 claiming tag and no takers, and was purchased privately thereafter by Hollendorfer's group. Cathy's Crunches is by Campbell's successful home stallion West Acre.