Dahlia J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

A full field of turf distaffers will travel 1 1/16 miles over the sod in the

closing day feature at Hollywood Park, Sunday's $150,000 Dahlia H. (G2). Grade 1

queen VACARE (Lear Fan) will surely take a good deal of support in here for

conditioner Christophe Clement and deservedly so, but we feel compelled to take

a shot with a price in such a deep field.

LADY DIGBY (Grand Slam) has improved a good deal in 2008 and appears

ready to have a major breakthrough in this spot for Graham Motion. The

four-year-old miss accomplished her best success to date when taking the All

Along S. (G3) at Pimlico in the spring, and followed that up with a deceivingly

good fifth in the ultra-competitive Diana S. (G1) at Saratoga over a good turf

course. We'll give the the bay Kentucky-bred a pass for her flat sixth-place

effort in the Cardinal H. (G3) over yielding ground last out, and we expect her

to get first run on the closers approaching the final turn. The presence of

Garrett Gomez adds to the appeal.

Vacare is not the same animal that we saw in 2007, or 2006 for that matter,

but the high-class mare still has a fine acceleration when she's on her game.

The bay has enjoyed success in the Golden State, including a score in the

Palomar H. (G2) in the summer, and she was a useful fifth, beaten two lengths,

in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) in her latest venture. The one-run

closer will need some pace and clear sailing, and she will be ultra-tough if she

receives both.

GOTTA HAVE HER (Royal Academy) was a closing second behind Vacare in the

Palomar and finished a close fifth in the Las Palmas H. (G2) last out for Jenine Sahadi, so it's obvious that the bay is a threat in this spot. The Kentucky-bred

has always shown ability but is clearly a better animal when she rates off the

pace, and she could get a dream trip in here just off the early tempo. The

four-year-old is due to win one of these, and this can be her day. Richard

Migliore has the mount.

I CAN SEE (Flying Chevron) has just four wins in 45 lifetime tries, and is 0

for 10 over this oval, but the dark bay has a knack for running big when least

expected and she can offer big value to the exotics with her best.

There are a pair of European imports that intrigue in this spot, Group 3

vixen BELLE ALLURE (Ire) (Numerous) and PLACE DE L'ETOILE (Ire)

(Salder's Wells). The former looks the more accomplished for Rupert Pritchard-Gordon

and has kept excellent throughout the year, with solid results. The chestnut

sophomore gets the services of Corey Nakatani and will be in the mix with a

transfer of her French form. The latter was brought over by Patrick Biancone,

who may have missed some time due to suspension but was very high percentage

when utilizing this strategy in the past. It's hard to get a read on the bay

filly, but our confidence in Biancone will force us to use this filly in

everything.

GREEN LYONS (Ire) (Green Desert) has endured a useful campaign for Neil

Drysdale, who has had a strong year with his grass performers, but we've never

been much of a fan of the four-year-old. We'll let her beat us at any price.

SENSATIONAL LOVE (War Chant) had a dream scenario against cheaper last out and

couldn't finish, so we can't back her on the class rise in this affair.

VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]) rallied late to be fourth in the Las Palmas,

but the one-run closer had a fast pace to run at and she hasn't won a race in

nearly 1 1/2 years. We respect Bobby Frankel and the bay's 4-3-1-0 record at

Hollywood, but she's a plodder in our eyes that might conclude the trifecta or superfecta at short odds. DON'T FORGET FAITH (Victory Gallop) is arguably the least threatening

European import in this group, going winless versus almost solely listed company

this campaign for trainer Clive Cox. The bay filly will be carrying a feathery

110 pounds in here, but the class disparity is too much for us to overlook.

IN MY GLORY (Honour and Glory) sports a nifty 9-3-4-1 career turf mark for

Efrain Miranda and has an abundance of early speed, but the thought here is that

the four-year-old will need a slow, clear early lead to last for a share. Martin

Garcia has the assignment. STORYBOOK (UAE) (Halling) hails from a classy grass family and finished a

strong second to a nice one in advance of this, but the John Sadler-trained

chestnut will have to prove to us that she belongs with this type before we

side with her. The outside draw in this bulky field will surely not do the filly

and favors, either.