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Mr. Commons tops American After producing convincing wins this winter in the Grade 2 Arcadia and Grade 2 Sir Beaufort, Mr. Commons was upset at odds-on in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 3, finishing second by a neck. The John Shirreffs-trained colt will look to rebound when he squares off against 10 rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 American Handicap at Hollywood Park. A turf maiden special weight scorer, Mr. Commons was on the Triple Crown scene last year, recording a third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before shipping to Baltimore for an eighth in the Preakness Stakes. He returned to his preferred surface on Del Mar's opening-day program, winning the grassy Oceanside Stakes for three-year-olds, and then turned in a pair of top-class performances against older horses, missing by a nose in second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile before another close runner-up in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile. The Artie Schiller colt was never a serious factor when fifth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, but closed out his sophomore season with a smart 3 1/4-length tally in the Sir Beaufort on December 26. Mr. Commons rolled to an easy one-length decision in the February 4 Arcadia, but could not catch an unheralded rival after getting briefly bottled up in traffic in the Kilroe. He remains the class of the American field and will retain the services of Mike Smith. Compari looms as the main challenger in the one-mile turf affair. Trained by Marty Jones, Compari sandwiched a third in the Kilroe around a victory in the Sensational Star and a third in the Grade 3 San Simeon, both coming down the hill in about 6 1/2-furlong events at Santa Anita. The six-year-old gelding is comfortable at the one-mile distance, posting a 4-0-1 mark from seven starts, including a victory in the 2010 Arcadia, and will likely show speed from his rail post beneath Rafael Bejarano. Liberian Freighter is a candidate to run well if ready off the 329-day layoff. The seven-year-old gelding posted a couple of front-running stakes wins last spring, taking both the Arcadia and Grade 3 Inglewood, but went to the sidelines after being well-beaten in the American and Shoemaker (which was held in July last year). The Neil Drysdale pupil has won five of 11 starts over the Hollywood turf. Grade 3 hero Wilkinson is set to make his first appearance in California under the direction of new trainer Jeff Mullins. Third in the Grade 1 Jamaica and second in the Grade 3 Commonwealth in his final two starts last year, the four-year-old received a change in scenery after recording three consecutive unplaced finishes this year. Martin Pedroza picks up the mount. Multiple stakes winner Calimonco exits a fourth in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile and recorded a third in November's Grade 2 Citation in his last start at Hollywood. Alonso Quinonez rides for conditioner John Sadler. Barney Rebel will try graded company following a wire-to-wire win over optional claiming foes on April 22, and Mobilized will move back to turf after a 7 1/4-length victory against California-bred rivals in the Tiznow Stakes on Cushion Track.
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