Hollywood Juvenile Championship

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Five juveniles, including one filly, have been entered in Sunday's $100,000

Hollywood Juvenile Championship S. (G3), and we think the bay lass will come out

on top in the six-furlong test. NECESSARY EVIL (Harlan's Holiday) captured her

May 31 career debut at Hollywood by 3 3/4 lengths under a hand ride from jockey

Joel Rosario, who will get a leg up from trainer Doug O'Neill. She led

every step of the way in that five-furlong event, garnering a 100 BRIS Speed

rating and 99 BRIS Late Pace figure. The filly appears to be the class of this

field and should have no problem with the extra furlong.

CLASSICAL SLEW (Bernstein) broke his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths on May 13 at

Hollywood Park and was rewarded with a field-best 102 Speed figure for the

effort. Also trained by O'Neill, the bay returned on June 4 and stretched out to

5 1/2 furlongs for the Willard L. Proctor Memorial S. In that one, he allowed a

stablemate to go up and set the pace before running him down and then holding

off the rallying GRACE UPON GRACE (Rio Verde). Classical Slew posted a much more

modest Speed rating (89) for that race, though, but could rebound in a big way

to run down yet another barnmate. Garrett Gomez picks up the mount.

COO CACHOO (Mingun) took his maiden on April 2 at Santa Anita and will be

making his Hollywood bow in this spot. That race was only two furlongs, but the

Blake Heap trainee has been posting respectable half-mile and five-furlong

breezes to prepare for this one. The dark bay colt even registered the bullet

for going four furlongs in :46 3/5 on Tuesday, and could easily grab a piece of

this pie. Tyler Baze in the saddle only helps his chances.

Grace Upon Grace will be looking to turn the tables on Classical Slew this

time around, but the Walther Solis charge will have to move up a little to do

so. He was six lengths off the pacesetter in the Willard L. Proctor and began

his rally after Classical Slew had already kicked on for home. The dark bay

could be a bigger threat this time around if he stays in closer contact under

Victor Espinoza.

ZIP QUIK (City Zip) was third in the Willard L. Proctor in his career debut,

hopping a bit at the start and rallying from last, then returned on June 20 to

take his maiden by two lengths while going the same 5 1/2-furlong distance. The

bay colt is likely to continue improving, but we don't think he's fast enough at

this time to factor much here.