Filly Pike Place Dancer Gains Upset Victory in Oaks

Pike Place Dancer, who beat males on grass in the California Derby three weeks ago, sprung an upset in the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Churchill Downs, beating Escena by a neck while the 7-10 favorite, My Flag, struggled home fifth in a six-horse field.

Before 91,830, the largest crowd at Churchill on other than Kentucky Derby day, Corey Nakatani brought Pike Place Dancer from off the pace as she completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 4/5 and paid $21.60 for $2. Escena, who led until the winner overtook her in the final 30 yards, finished 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Cara Rafaela. Antespend, My Flag and Birr completed the order of finish.

Pike Place Dancer, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and owned by Hollendorfer and George Todaro, won her fourth in a row and sixth of seven overall.

Hollendorfer also won with his only other starter in the Oaks, Lite Light in 1991.

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In other stakes at Churchill Friday, Jewel Princess, trained by Wally Dollase and ridden by Chris McCarron, outfinished Serena’s Song, the 3-5 favorite, to win the $220,000 Louisville Breeders’ Cup by a neck; McCarron rode Broadway Beau, at 17-1, to a 1 1/2-length win over Trail City in the $117,500 Crown Royal American Turf; and Danjur brought trainer Neil Drysdale out of a yearlong slump with a two-length win, in track-record time, in the $88,125 Churchill Downs Turf Sprint. Danjur, ridden by Jerry Bailey, ran five furlongs in :56 to break the Churchill record by four-fifths of a second. . . . Sunday Silence, Go For Wand and Sun Beau, jockey Don Brumfield and trainer James Conway, have been elected to the Racing Hall of Fame.