The Pizza Man heads west for Hollywood Turf Cup

Arlington Million (G1) winner The Pizza Man (English Channel), who exited a
fifth-place finish in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) with a lung
infection, looks to rebound on Thursday in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2),
the Thanksgiving Day feature at Del Mar.

Other leading contenders include Big John B (Hard Spun), hero of the last two
editions of the Del Mar H. (G2), and former Canadian Horse of the Year Up With
the Birds (Stormy Atlantic), second in the Canadian International (G1) last
time.

For the full preview, visit the TwinSpires blog via the above link.

Also at the blog on Monday:

The complexion of Thursday’s Falls City H. (G2) at Churchill Downs depends on
the status of defending titlist Frivolous (Empire Maker).

La Verdad (Yes It’s True) looks to reverse a recent spell of bad luck in
Thursday’s Fall Highweight H. (G3) against the boys.

Brazilian Triple Crown winner Bal a Bali (Put It Back) looks for his second win
of Del Mar’s fall meet in Friday’s $250,000 Seabiscuit H. (G2).

Louisiana Derby (G2) winner International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus) makes a
long-await return to action in the $200,000 Zia Park Derby, one of several
graded-quality events held Wednesday at Zia Park and Penn National.

Favorites prevailed in a pair of sprint stakes at Mahoning Valley on Monday.

The fifth annual TwinSpires.com Online Handicapping Championship is scheduled
for Saturday.

Laura Pugh argues

criticism of Exaggerator’s (Curlin) final time at Delta Downs and pedigree is
unwarranted.