Hollywood Park cancels final seven races of closing card

Last updated: 12/19/10 7:48 PM

Comma to the Top was voted Horse of the Meet for Hollywood’s autumn stand
(Benoit Photos)

Hollywood Park officials were forced to cancel the final seven races Sunday
after consecutive days of consistent, heavy rain.

Concerns with the transition area from the chute to the main track was the
reason for the premature conclusion to the card, which was the final one of the
autumn meet.

“Concern for the safety of the jockeys is something that is always of
paramount importance,” Hollywood Park President Jack Liebau said. “There
was a suggestion by the jockeys to shorten all remaining races to six
furlongs, and some thought was given to doing that, but that would not
have been fair to the wagering public across the nation who may not be
made aware of those changes.”

COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie), who won three stakes on two surfaces,
including Saturday’s CashCall Futurity (G1), was voted Horse of the Meet in the
annual media poll as the autumn meet concluded Sunday.

Owned by Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Kevin Tsujihara, the Peter Miller
trainee captured the November 6 Real Quiet S. over the Cushion Track, switched
to the turf to add the November 27 Generous S. (G3) to his resume, then capped a
sensational six weeks with a decisive victory in the Futurity, giving him the
first Grade 1 of his career.

In addition, Comma to the Top, who has won six of 10 career races and earned
$551,600, was selected top two-year-old and was a unanimous choice as
two-year-old male.

Turbulent Descent garnered
top juvenile filly honors following her Moccasin and Starlet
scores
(Benoit Photos)

TURBULENT DESCENT (Congrats), who became the first horse to win both the
Moccasin S. and Hollywood Starlet (G1), was a unanimous selection as
two-year-old filly. Owned by a partnership that includes Blinkers On Racing
Stables and Bill Strauss, the Mike Puype pupil successfully stretched out to 1
1/16 miles in the December 11 Starlet just three weeks after winning the
seven-furlong Moccasin.

Other unanimous choices were Hollywood Derby (G1) upsetter HAIMISH HY (Ecton
Park) (three-year-old and three-year-old male); Bayakoa H. (G2) and Life is
Sweet S. winner WASHINGTON BRIDGE (Yankee Gentleman) (three-year-old filly);
Native Diver H. (G3) hero AGGIE ENGINEER (E Dubai) (older male); Matriarch S.
(G1) winner GYPSY’S WARNING (SAf) (Mogok) (older female and female turf horse);
and Vernon O. Underwood S. (G3) and Miles Tyson S. scorer Cost of Freedom (Cee’s
Tizzy) (sprinter).

VICTOR’S CRY (Street Cry [Ire]), who finished with a flourish to win the
Citation H. (G1), was selected turf horse and BAD BOY (Petionville), who ran his
victory streak to five with a hat trick during the meet, was honored as claiming
horse.

On the human side, unanimous choices were Alex Gonzalez (apprentice jockey)
and Joel Rosario (jockey). Rosario defended his autumn title, finishing 12
winners in front of runner-up Rafael Bejarano, and became the first rider to
complete a “double double” here in 26 years. He won the spring/summer and autumn
meets at Hollywood the last two years, the first jockey to do so since Chris
McCarron swept both for four straight years from 1981-84.

Fresh off the biggest win of his career in the Futurity, Miller was voted top
trainer. His stable led with earnings of $662,420 and he finished tied for
second in the standings.

O’Neill wound up with 16 victories, two more than Sadler and Miller. O’Neill
had 104 starters at the meet, 50 more than Sadler and 69 more than Miller.

Hollywood Park will be open for simulcasting beginning December 26. The 2011
spring-summer meet will begin April 20 and continue through July 17.