HOLLYWOOD
NOTEBOOK
NOVEMBER 11
By Bernard Moore
Hollywood Park, situated in Inglewood, California, kicked off
its traditional fall meet this past Wednesday. The autumn
meeting, seven weeks in length, has as its major focus the Autumn
Turf Festival, which takes place November 26-28. During that
period, four Grade 1 turf races will be contested.
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Singletary (Sultry Song) and
2003 Mile heroine Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing), who
finished third this year at Lone Star, could both make an
appearance in the Autumn Turf Festival.
On the main track, the Hollywood Futurity (G1) and Starlet (G1)
are among the top races. Both will be contested in December, and
these juvenile events have tended to have Triple Crown and three-year-old
filly division implications the following year.
Racing will be conducted on a Wednesday through Sunday basis,
with the closing day on December 20. First post each day is 12:30
p.m. (PST), with a few exceptions sprinkled throughout the meet.
Also, Hollywood Park will bring the Pick 4 wager front and
center this meet, offering a $1 Pick 4 wager daily with
guaranteed pools. Bettors will be assured of a $200,000 pool
every day, with that amount reaching the $400,000 level on
Saturdays.
The first stakes race of the Hollywood Park fall meet was the
restricted $60,000 Bien Bien S. for three-year-olds going one
mile on the turf. As the field thundered down the homestretch in
the Bien Bien, trainer Doug O’Neill was beset by conflicting
emotions.
The conditioner’s Perfect Moon (Malibu Moon) had just secured
a tenuous lead, while stablemate Whilly (Ire) (Sri Pekan) was hot
on his heels. The Hollywood ending for this story would be for
both runners to finish in a dead-heat at the wire. But, this is
the real world, and Whilly blew past his barn mate in deep
stretch to post a decisive 1 1/4-length win.
A grandson of Red Ransom, Whilly earned his first stakes
success and his first victory in North America since arriving
from Italy. The winner sat a perfect stalking trip along the
inside before coming off the rail and rallying past the leader in
the stretch under rider Felipe Martinez, who registered his
initial stakes success at Hollywood Park. The post time favorite
in the Bien Bien, Top of the Bill (Lear Fan), was making his
first start for trainer Neil Drysdale and raced lethargically
throughout, finishing last in a very non-descript effort.
In the other grass stakes contested on opening weekend at
Hollywood Park, Penny’s Fortune (Storm Cat) refused to yield the
lead in the stretch after carving a dawdling early pace in the
Audrey Skirball-Kenis S. and registered a hard fought half-length
score. The race is named in honor of Audrey Skirball-Kenis, a
well-known philanthropist and owner who campaigned such highly
regarded horses as Super Quercus and Mazel Trick. The winner was
saddled by Jenine Sahadi, and ridden to victory by jockey Jose
Valdivia Jr., who registered his second stakes victory aboard the
three-year-old filly.
O’Neill holds a slim lead over Mike Harrington in the
trainer’s standings. Harrington trails O’Neill by just one
victory, while sending out half as many runners. Two of
Harrington’s winners were dropping in class, while another came
with a first timer. John Sadler and A. C. Avila are tied for
third with three wins apiece. Like Harrington, Avila has also
done well with runners dropping in class, and two of those
victories had jockey changes as well. Clifford W. Sise Jr., Bob
Baffert and Daniel Dunham are all tied for fifth with two
victories each.
There is a triple dead-heat for leading jockey honors with
Tyler Baze, Rene Douglas and Martinez tied for first. Each rider
has booted home five winners, with Martinez being a somewhat of a
surprise that he shares top honors. He rode Whilly to victory for
O’Neill and has combined with Dunham for two victories as well.
There are a host of riders in close pursuit of the leaders.
The main track was relatively bias-free during the opening
week, with speed holding a slight edge in sprints over the
weekend. There were no preferred running styles on grass all week.
As far as path biases were concerned on dirt, runners along the
inside over the weekend did well.
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (11/3)
3RD – NINETY FINE (Event of the Year) was a much improved
second dropping into a state-bred 40K maiden claimer. He broke
awkwardly leaving the gate, was steadied a bit shortly thereafter
as well, and raced wide down the backstretch. Commenced a strong
rally on the far turn while widest of all and finished with good
energy late behind a loose frontrunner.
4TH – FRANKELSTEIN (Bertrando) displayed surprising early
speed to stalk a hot pace on the front end. Raced three-wide
chasing strong fractions. He maintained his position against an
extremely strong turn-time in :22 1/5. Reported home six lengths
clear of the fourth place finisher in an extremely quick race.
May be at his best if able to sit and make one run.
Thursday (11/4)
4TH – LUCKY PULPIT (PULPIT) was pinned down along the rail
virtually the entire way in first start off the shelf. Was under
only token encouragement late. Useful prep returning to Hollywood
turf, the course of his lone grass win. Sophomore can either
sprint or route, and this might have been a “get acquainted”
race for jockey Gary Stevens.
5TH – BUTTE CITY (HIGH BRITE) finished a sharp third off the
bench for trainer Mike Mitchell in his first start off the claim. Finished with
interest despite stalking a quick pace carved out by a superior
speed horse. Butte City has won setting, stalking and rating from
off the pace in the past. Should obviously move forward off this
effort and fits nicely at the $10,000 level.
Friday (11/5)
3RD – DOLLY WELLS (Arg) (Poliglote [GB]), a formerly Argentine-based
runner, may finally be coming to hand. She improved to second off
a prolonged layoff here and finished with good energy behind a
prohibitive winner. A flat mile and a lively early pace would
suit her extremely well in her next start.
4TH – ALL CAT (Mountain Cat) was ultra impressive off a layoff
for Sise. Settled suddenly on the far turn and closed strongly
down the middle of the track to win going away with jockey Kent
Desormeaux assuming the role of a passenger. The four-year-old
can handle the jump into a non-winners of two starter allowance
contest if judiciously spotted.
Saturday (11/6)
6TH – GIRL WARRIOR (Elusive Quality) sorely needed this race
coming off a layoff of more than two months while tackling males.
In a change of tactics, she dictated the early pace and held well
once displaced on the front end along the inside. The sophomore
was not abused late in just her second start over the main track.
Revert to rating tactics and a return to her own sex while making
her second start off the shelf would be definite pluses.
9TH – ORBITS WORLD (Unusual Heat) showed a dramatic form
reversal in turf debut. Turned back to a sprint while adding
blinkers, the juvenile settled far behind the early pace and
leveled off nicely on the turn. Trapped behind a wall of horses
while attempting to rally, he closed strongly once securing
running room along the rail to be a clear second to a well bet/well
meant debut winner. Orbits World has two full brothers who have
won over grass.
Sunday (11/7)
4TH – MY ONOMATOPOEIA (Wild Deputy) held gamely setting a
pressured pace along the inside after departing from a tough
inside post. Appreciated the class relief, dropping to the 40K
level and switching back to Hollywood Park, a course he likes. He
was beaten only three parts of a length in a sharp effort. Owns
dangerous tactical speed and fits well at his level.
5TH – HELENICO (Arg) (Rainbow Corner [GB]) found 1 1/16 miles
and the Hollywood Park surface more to his liking off a layoff.
Wrestled back to stalk the early pacesetter along the inside down
the backstretch, he was shuffled back approaching the far turn,
losing his position when placed in tight quarters. The Jeff
Mullins trainee dispensed a strong rally to loom a threatening
presence turning for home, but weakened under pressure in deep
stretch in a race he obviously needed.