Trainer John Saddler's filly Zazu caught Bob Baffert's Kentucky Oaks winner and odds-on favorite Plum Pretty in the stretch to win the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks at Hollywood Park on Saturday.
Zazu sat third in the field of four 3-year-old fillies for most of the Grade II stakes, but she made up huge ground when jockey Joel Rosario cut the corner on the turn. Zazu then dashed past Plum Pretty to win by 1-1/2 lengths, covering 1-1/16 miles in 1 minute, 45.36 seconds.
''We're not surprised she ran the way she did. I was able to keep my eye on Plum Pretty the whole race because I knew she was the one to beat,'' Rosario said. ''I waited on the inside until the last possible moment. I saw the hole open and took it from there.''
Zazu paid $4.20 for a win bet.
''She got beat by a nice filly,'' Baffert said of Plum Pretty, who had won two straight. ''She just got a little tired at the end.''
Love Theway Youare was third, Wallstreeter fourth. There was no show betting because of the small field.
Sadler won the Hollywood Oaks for the second straight year. He won in 2010 with Switch, who also beat a Kentucky Oaks winner.
It was the second graded stakes win for Zazu, who also took the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita in February before finishing third behind Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks.
''Zazu ran really well in the Kentucky Oaks; the winner just got a little better trip,'' said Sadler. ''She was on her home court and her home base today, so that helps. It was just a beautiful ride by Joel. He cut the corner on the turn, and that was probably the difference.''
Zazu has won three times in nine starts for owners Jerry and Ann Moss, earning $472,985.
