Hollywood Park Notebook

HOLLYWOOD NOTEBOOK

JULY 21, 2005

by Bernard T. Moore

The Hollywood Park meet concluded last weekend and while there was some

spectacular racing during the spring/summer meet, daily on-track attendance

dropped. The daily mutuel handle also fell, in addition to the number of

starters per race dropping. With intense competition for the gambling dollar

throughout the country, racetracks must come up with ways of enticing new fans

to the sport while still courting the everyday player. It is a difficult task to

be sure.

While the meet was in progress, Hollywood Park was sold to the Bay Meadows

Land Company. Initial plans by the new owners call for racing to continue for at

least three more years, and maybe beyond that if legislation for slot machines

is passed in the state.

On the last Saturday of the meet, the Hollywood Juvenile Championship (G3)

for two-year-olds produced a dramatic finish when WHAT A SONG (Songandaprayer)

was pushed to the brink to out-finish a very stubborn Bashert (Tiger Ridge).

Trained by Bob Baffert, What A Song lacked room at the break but was able to

overcome that incident to track the early pacesetters. Under jockey Victor

Espinoza, he moved in earnest to challenge the eventual runner-up in midstretch,

and then proved best by a neck in a stiff drive. Bashert was ultra game in

defeat, setting a pressured pace from the outset and then giving way grudgingly

in deep stretch. Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even) raced a bit lethargically

early, but finished with good energy late and was a length farther back in

third.

In the co-feature Saturday, the Valkyr H. for California- bred fillies and

mares, DEE DEE'S DINER (Bold Badgett) proved to be a popular winner, wiring the

field as the 8-5 favorite. Tucked Away (Unusual Heat) closed belatedly to take

down the place, finishing slightly better than Crowded Room (Smokester), who was

just a neck farther back in third. Mini Skirt (Wild Again), the 2-1 second

choice in the wagering, was fourth in a blanket finish for a minor award.

The final stakes event of the 2005 Hollywood Park Spring/Summer meet went to

ALWAYS FIRST (GB) (Barathea [Ire]), who came away with a victory in the Sunset

Breeders' Cup H. (G2) for three-year-olds and up at 12 grassy furlongs. Trained

by Neil Drysdale, the European transplant rated nicely off modest fractions

before making his presence known in midstretch. At that point, his forward

momentum began to propel him to the lead as he edged away slowly in the final

yards to win by three parts of a length.

T. H. Approval (With Approval) raced in the second flight throughout and

loomed dangerously in the stretch. However, he could not match strides with the

winner late and subsequently finished on even terms with Runaway Dancer (Runaway

Groom), who closed belatedly after racing in last position for much of the race.

Garrett Gomez registered his first Spring/Summer riding title at Hollywood

Park, out-finishing fellow jockey Alex Solis by seven victories. Espinoza, Tyler

Baze and Corey Nakatani were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

It comes as no surprise to anyone that Doug O'Neill won yet another training

title. Mike Mitchell finished second, with Vladimir Cerin and Jeff Mullins

locked in a dead-heat for third place. Neil Drysdale completed the top five.

The main track was speed favoring in both sprints and routes on Wednesday.

Stalkers did best sprinting on Thursday, but route contests remained bias free.

The dirt course once again played to speed on Friday and Saturday, but seemed

quite uniform on Sunday.

On grass, speed continued to do very well as one would expect towards the end

of the meet, as the vast majority of winners raced on or near the front end.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (7/13)

1ST - RETIREES THREE (Sandpit) finished a good second dropping down to the

$32,000 level, disputing a quick pace and holding well to be best of the rest.

Two of his three career wins have come at Del Mar, and he should continue to

improve under trainer Ted West.

5TH - CORONADO'S PRIDE (Coronado's Quest) wound up a heartbreaking second

switching back to turf and dropping a notch in class. Contested a very hot pace

only to yield grudgingly late to a fresh closer.

Thursday (7/14)

3RD - MISTER MAMBO (Kingmambo) showed a dramatic reversal in form making his

first start for a selling price. Showcased a much-improved turn of early foot

prior to securing the lead around the far turn, only to be out-gamed in deep

stretch while finishing second in a sharp effort. Clearly fits best in maiden

claimer.

6TH - FLY FORREST FLY (Cape Canaveral) turned in a useful fourth-place finish

in his turf debut while facing winners off the claim. After rating early, the

gelding moved to contest the pace around the far turn and weakened under

pressure. Might be better suited to dirt and front-running tactics.

Friday (7/15)

6TH - FAIRLY CRAFTY (Crafty Prospector) offered an even effort returning from

a five-week freshening. Was unable to match strides with the leaders around the

far turn and into the stretch. May be a tad overmatched at the NW2X level and

appears better suited to claiming contests.

7TH - MOM'S TRIPPIN (Vaudeville) was a good third exhibiting a much-improved

turn of early foot. Forced to chase a superior speed over a course favoring

front runners, he relinquished the place late to a fresh closer but seems to be

cycling back to a top effort in his next start, especially if kept at this

level.

Saturday (7/16)

2ND - CROSSCUT (Woodman) finished a tough-luck second stepping up off a brief

freshening. Stalked the early pace and then loomed boldly in the stretch, only

to be out-gamed late. Clearly at his best when able to sit and rate before

making his run.

6TH - WHEATON HALL (Wheaton) displayed a dramatic turnaround in second career

start switching to dirt. Exhibited new found speed to dictate the pace and held

gamely in a swiftly run race while clearly second best. Must be given time to

recoup from this race to replicate this effort in the future, and he appears

best suited to a dirt sprint.

7TH - GRAND MISS (War Chant) regressed badly off a hard-fought victory after

debuting three weeks ago. Showcased improved early speed stretching out to

dispute the pace while meeting winners for the first time. Revert to rating

tactics expected in subsequent starts, and she is bred on both sides of her

pedigree to handle a distance of ground.

Sunday (7/17)

2ND - ACADEMY SPY (Royal Academy) turned in a useful third-place effort off a

prolonged layoff for Mullins. Finished evenly late over a course playing

favorably to speed, with the final furlong completed in a rapid 11.71 seconds. Further

progress expected off this comeback and would appreciate more ground.

8TH – RUNAWAY DANCER (Runaway Groom) dead-heated for the place returning from

a two-month layoff. Lagged behind soft fractions and then lacked the necessary

response late while left with too much to do in the stretch. Should definitely

move forward off this effort and fits well in these marathon turf contests,

having won going 11 furlongs over the Del Mar turf course in 2003.