Robador shocks in Snow Chief

Walter Family Trust's homebred ROBADOR (Robannier) picked a fine time to

break his maiden by closing with a huge rush in winning the featured $250,000

Snow Chief S. on California Gold Rush Day at Hollywood Park Sunday. Content

to sit off the pace in the early stages beneath Jose Valdivia Jr., the bay colt

began hitting his best stride in the lane, picking off horses one-by-one before

catching a clear Lucky J. H. (Cee's Tizzy) by a half-length right before the

wire. Trained by Eoin Harty, the three-year-old stopped the timer in 1:49 2/5

for the nine-furlong contest and gave back $48.60, $16.20 and $8 at 23-1.

Lucky J. H. swept three-wide turning for home and opened a clear lead but

could not last, settling for the place. The colt paid $8.40 and $6.20 at 6-1

while completing the $22.30 exacta ($1). Top This and That (Old Topper) closed

well for the show, worth $9.60 while rounding out the $3,611.20 trifecta ($1) at

16-1. Thor's Echo (Swiss Yodeler), the 8-5 favorite, got fourth and sat on the

bottom of the $11,794.40 superfecta ($1) (3-7-5-6).

Texcess (In Excess [Ire]) was next followed by King Mobay (King of the

Hunt), Panama Lane (Event of the Year), Proud Tower Too (Proud Irish), Regal Pan

(Valid Wager), Tommy's Topper (Old Topper), New Cloud (Memo [Chi]) and Slewsbag

(Devil's Bag).

Robador moved his mark to 8-1-2-3 with a bankroll that now stands at

$191,646. He was produced from the stakes winning Ivory Bowl (Falstaff) and has

a pair of unraced siblings -- a two-year-old colt named Monsieur W (Slewvescent)

and an unnamed yearling full sister.

In other racing at Hollywood, Al and Sandee Kirkwood's VALENTINE DANCER (In Excess [Ire]) took a short lead

turning for home and held off all challengers en route to a tally in the

$150,000 Fran's Valentine S. The Craig Lewis trainee completed 1 1/16 miles on

the firm turf in 1:40 2/5 beneath Jon Court in moving her career mark to

22-8-4-4 with earnings of $998,126.

Alvin Mickey Ruiz's longshot WENDY'S ON ME (Avenue of Flags) had just one

horse beat at the half-mile pole, but put in a potent late run to get up in the

$70,000 Warren's Thoroughbreds S. over seven furlongs. Trained by Tony Locke and

piloted by Corey Nakatani, the 35-1 shot won by a nose and finished the

seven-eighths in 1:23 1/5.

Steve Taub's second-time starter KING OF L. A. (Raji) took the lead soon

after the start and powered clear to a facile seven-length win in the $60,000

Pepper Oaks Farm S. for Kristin Mulhall. The sophomore colt finished up 6 1/2

furlongs in 1:15 1/5 under Martin Pedroza while breaking his maiden in a big way.

In the $150,000 Khaled S., Southern Nevada Racing Stable's RUNNING FREE (Soft Gold [Brz]) took advantage of a

huge opening on the rail turning for home and rallied to be a

three-quarter of a length winner under Victor Espinoza. The four-year-old

gelding got nine grassy furlongs in 1:48 for Mulhall.

S M Mitchell Ranch LLC's LEAVE ME ALONE (Bold Badgett) earned her first

stakes win in the $200,000 Melair S. With Tyler Baze aboard, the three-year-old

moved to the fore on the backstretch and powered clear to a four-length tally for

conditioner Eric Kruljac, stopping the timer in 1:43 for 1 1/16 miles.

Patricia Youngman's homebred TRAIL MIX (Trail City) hadn't raced in nearly a

year, but showed no ill effects off the layoff in leading every step of the way

in the $70,000 Barretts S. The dark bay shot out of the gate and was never

seriously challenged throughout, completing seven panels in a swift 1:22 1/5 for

Mike Harrington and Espinoza.

Ailshie, Harris, Rose, et al's UNFURL THE FLAG (Bertrando) opened a big lead

in midstretch and held sway in taking the $150,000 Tiznow S. for trainer David

Bernstein. The Grade 2 placed five-year-old stopped the timer in 1:27 2/5 for the 7

1/2-furlong test under Nakatani.

Harris Farms Inc.'s Grade 1-winning homebred ALPHABET KISSES (Alphabet Soup)

continued her classy ways when wiring the field in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful S.

The gray was pressured throughout but proved best late, crossing the wire two

lengths clear for Martin Jones and Gary Stevens. The final time for the seven

furlong fray was a sharp 1:22.

In the nightcap, Headley, Johnston and Johnston's SOLDIER'S KISS (One Man

Army) lengthened her lead in the stretch and powered home a 5 1/2-length winner

of the $60,000 NTRA S. over 6 1/2 furlongs. Trained by Bruce Headley and ridden by Alex Solis,

the gray lass finished the main track battle in 1:15 1/5 in winning for the first

time.