TDN RISING STARS

May 30, 2013 - Betfair at Hollywood Park, Race 6, Msw, USD $52,000, 6f

Sweet Lulu, f, 3, 2010 by Mr. Greeley

1st Dam: Successful Outlook (GSW, $110,720), by Orientate
2nd Dam: Catch a Glimpse, by Gulch
3rd Dam: Spring To Light, by Blushing Groom (Fr)

Owner: Steve Beneto
Breeder: Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd (KY)
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer

Sweet Lulu, favored at 1-2 in her unveiling, had several sharp works for this, including a six-furlong bullet in 1:11 4/5 at Hollywood May 17. Drawn on the fence here, she blew the break and quickly rushed up to press the leader from the outside through an opening quarter in :22.34. Deserving of a patented Vic Stauffer, "She'll be a half an hour the best" call as she took over at the top of the stretch, the $270,000 KEESEP yearling purchase kept on finding more down the lane and strolled home to an easy 3 1/4 -length victory. Tayrona (A.P. Warrior) was second.

Sweet Lulu is the second foal from the lightly-raced 2006 GIII Tempted S. heroine and GII Demoiselle S. third-place finisher Successful Outlook (Orientate), who raced in the colors of Antony Beck’s Gainesway Stable. Successful Outlook went through the ring twice, bringing $75,000 from Desperado Stables Inc as a KEENOV weanling and $95,000 from Mike Ryan as a KEESEP yearling.

"Antony [Beck] was quite keen on her at the [Keeneland September] sale and he purchased her privately shortly thereafter," Gainesway’s Michael Hernon revealed. "She was a filly with a lot of talent, and obviously showed graded stakes winning ability, but she suffered a slight setback late in her 2-year-old career. We tried to bring her back, but couldn’t get her right. Now she is a promising young mare. She is by champion Orientate, who is really emerging as a good broodmare sire with horses like champion Shanghai Bobby."

Hernon continued, "She has a nice 2-year-old by Tapit, who was purchased by Steve Young last year for $250,000 [at Keeneland September]. She has a Tapit colt who will sell at Keeneland September this year and he is one of our most highly regarded yearlings. She has a Malibu Moon filly and she was one of many quality mares bred to Gainesway’s freshman stallion To Honor and Serve this year."