Hollywood announces slimmer stakes schedule

Hollywood Park, in an effort to protect overnight purses, has responded to

the declining economy by shuffling its stakes calendar for the 60-day

spring/summer meet, which begins April 21.

The $5.8-million stakes schedule, which includes seven Grade 1 races and 28

graded races overall, is highlighted by the 71st running of the $500,000

Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) on July 10. The $250,000 Triple Bend H. (G1) will also

be run on that day.

The Jim Murray Memorial H. (G2) and the Will Rogers H. (G3) will return to

the calendar, while the Ack Ack H. (G3), Cinema H., Gallant Man H., Flawlessly

S., Khaled S. and Round Table H. (G3) will be placed on hiatus for 2010.

"We've made these changes in an effort to keep overnight purses as high as

possible as we cope with the struggling economy," said Martin Panza, vice

president-racing. "We've got to put as much money in overnight purses as

possible to aid horsemen in these tough economic times."

The ninth running of the $250,000 American Oaks (G1) is scheduled for July 3,

along with the $150,000 Royal Heroine Mile (G2). There will be five stakes

contested over the Fourth of July weekend with the $150,000 American Handicap

(G2) scheduled for July 4 and the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3)

on a special Monday program on July 5.

The Hollywood Gold Cup and American Oaks programs are among seven multiple

stakes days at the meeting, beginning with Gold Rush XI for California-breds on

April 24. The $200,000 Snow Chief S. is the feature race, but has significant

company in the $150,000 Melair S., $125,000 B. Thoughtful S. and $125,000 Tiznow

S..

The $250,000 Shoemaker Mile (G1) will be run on Memorial Day, May 31, along

with the Honeymoon Handicap (G3) and the $60,000 Willard L. Proctor Memorial S.

The Shoemaker, first run as the Premiere H. on Hollywood Park's inaugural

opening day on June 10, 1938, will be contested for the 66th time.

In keeping with recent tradition, the prestigious $250,000 Charles

Whittingham Memorial H. (G1) will be run on June 5, Belmont Stakes Day. It will

be accompanied by the $100,000 Los Angeles H. (G3) and the $60,000 Redondo Beach

S.

The $150,000 Californian S. (G2), last major stepping-stone to the Hollywood

Gold Cup, will be run on June 12, along with the $60,000 Desert Stormer H.

Closing weekend will feature the $200,000 Swaps S. (G2) and $150,000 A Gleam

H. (G2) on July 17, with the $100,000 Sunset Handicap (G3) on July 18.

The $150,000 Milady Handicap (G2) and the $250,000 Vanity H. (G1), races

two-time champion Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) swept the past two years, will be

contested on May 16 and June 13, respectively.

The stakes schedule begins with the $60,000 Harry Henson Stakes on April 21.