Doinghardtimeagain too good in the Soviet Problem
The $196,000 Soviet Problem Stakes had a ton of speed in it, but nobody was sure who will actually benefit from it, but when everything was done and dusted it was Jerry Hollendorfer trained, Doinghardtimeagain, who benefited from the fast pace to sweep past
her rivals to win at Betfair Hollywood Park for the second consecutive time on 9 December, 2012.
The inaugural running of the seven furlong long Soviet Problem Stakes is part of the Golden State Series. This series is a breeding incentive, and it is only restricted for California breds.
The 2-year-old dark bay filly by Ministers Wildcat is Tommy Town Thoroughbreds’ homebred filly, and she was ridden by jockey Martin Garcia for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, and both of them had earlier combined to win the Grade 2 $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes with
Lady of Fifty on 8 December, 2012, at Hollywood Park.
Doinghardtimeagain took her time to get going, as she scored a pair of seconds in her first two starts, but at Hollywood Park’s cushion track she found that she can go out there and challenge one of the best in her division.
She timed seven furlongs in 1 minute and 23.93 seconds, and went on to defeat Unusual Way by a convincing margin of 2 ¼ lengths.
The 7 to 10 favourite for the Soviet Problem Stakes, Home Journey, who was taking her unbeaten record in the stakes race, was adamant to break well and go out in the front right from the getgo, and that is exactly what she did, as under Rafael Bejarano she
led Unusual Way by a length at the start.
Setting solid fractions, Home Journey, covered the opening quarter mile in 21.98 seconds, and half mile in 45.57 seconds.
At the quarter pole, Home Journey was out of gas, and when tackled by Unusual Way, she gave way easy. In the backstretch, Doinghardtimeagain was stalking in fourth, but as she rounded off the final turn she angled four paths wide, and wore Unusual Way down.
"The race came up exactly how I thought it would,'' said Garcia. "There were a few speed horses and I wanted to lay on the outside where she could be really comfortable.
"I just let her pick it up on her own. The only thing I didn't want to do was move too soon. When I asked her, she just left everybody.''
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