By Justina Severni
Stays in Vegas (City Zip) will contest Saturday's GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Race Course, which could prove a source of healing for the partnership of Jungle Racing LLC and KMN Racing LLC, who lost champion Shared Belief last week suddenly to colic.
“It's been a rough week and everybody has been trying to handle the grief in our own way,” said Kevin Nish of KNM racing. “We've seen a lot of tributes on the internet from fans and that helps us handle the grief, knowing that there are other people that share it with us.”
Stays in Vegas, who was purchased by Solis/Litt Bloodstock for the partnership as a $40,000 KEESEP yearling, took the Juan Gonzalez Memorial S. at Oak Tree Pleasanton July 4 and the Wine Country Debutante S. at Santa Rosa Aug. 14 in her first two career starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Fifth in the GI Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5., she then switched to the turf for her next two starts–both wins–in the Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita Oct. 10 and the Pike Place Dancer S. at Golden Gate Nov. 1. The juvenile filly will return to the dirt for the Starlet and will try the 1 1/16-mile distance.
“We had her nominated for a turf race at Del Mar and, with the guidance of Jerry and Alex [Solis] and Jason [Litt], we opted for the race at Los Alamitos,” Nish explained. “She has run well on dirt up in Northern California before, too.”
Nish, Jungle Racing's Jim Rome, Solis, Litt and Hollendorfer will be present at Saturday's race, which Nish believes could help the group heal after their shocking loss.
“We'll never get over it, but maybe this race will help up work through it and get around it,” Nish commented. “Jim will be at the race and I'll be there, so we'll get to see each other again. That's going to be a tough few hours, but we're hoping the excitement of the race also helps. We've had a lot of communication back and forth trying to help each other through the shock of the loss of the champ. Maybe the race will help focus us on the good things on the horizon, rather than the sense of loss we all feel right now.”
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