Vernon O. Underwood

David B. Bloom's TASTE OF PARADISE (Conquistador Cielo) took advantage of

torrid early splits and rallied to a nose win in the $100,000

Vernon O.

Underwood S. (G3) over the wet-fast surface at Hollywood Park on Sunday. Trained

for the initial time by Gary Mandella, the five-year-old was content to sit off

the pace duel between My Master (Arg) (Southern Halo) and Our New Recruit

(Alphabet Soup), as they battled on the front through splits of :21 3/5 and :44

for the half-mile. Turning for home, Taste of Paradise began to hit his best

stride beneath Jose Valdivia Jr., getting up on the outside to just nip defending

champ Watchem Smokey (Alphabet Soup) at the wire. The dark bay winner completed

six furlongs in 1:08 and gave back $54.80, $20.40 and $8.40 as the 26-1 longest

shot in the seven-horse field.

Watchem Smokey was the recipient of a perfect ground-saving trip and fell

just short at the line, giving back $6.80 and $5.20 at 9-2. The winning exacta

was good for $128.70 ($1), while the trifecta paid out $1,000.50 ($1), with My

Master hanging on for the third at 11-1. Show was worth $7 and the 3-5-2-8

superfecta ($1) gave back a nice $3,031.60. Kela (Numerous), the

3-2 choice, was another three lengths back in fourth and trailed by Our New

Recruit, Newark (Benton Creek) and My Cousin Matt (Matty G). Star Cross (Arg)

(Southern Halo) was withdrawn.

Taste of Paradise notched his second graded score in here, following a win in

the San Diego H. (G2) in 2003. He moved his mark to 20-5-2-2, including a win in

the Ack Ack S. earlier this campaign, with earnings of $414,455.

The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State by Abrahams, Snukal and Bloom, and

was most recently purchased at the 2004 January Barretts Sale for $425,000.

He was produced from the winning What Luck mare Tastetheteardrops and has an

unraced two-year-old half-brother named Crafty S (Crafty Friend).