Hollywood Park

HOLLYWOOD

NOTEBOOK

NOVEMBER 11

By Bernard Moore

Hollywood Park, situated in Inglewood, California, kicked off

its traditional fall meet this past Wednesday. The autumn

meeting, seven weeks in length, has as its major focus the Autumn

Turf Festival, which takes place November 26-28. During that

period, four Grade 1 turf races will be contested.

Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner Singletary (Sultry Song) and

2003 Mile heroine Six Perfections (Fr) (Celtic Swing), who

finished third this year at Lone Star, could both make an

appearance in the Autumn Turf Festival.

On the main track, the Hollywood Futurity (G1) and Starlet (G1)

are among the top races. Both will be contested in December, and

these juvenile events have tended to have Triple Crown and three-year-old

filly division implications the following year.

Racing will be conducted on a Wednesday through Sunday basis,

with the closing day on December 20. First post each day is 12:30

p.m. (PST), with a few exceptions sprinkled throughout the meet.

Also, Hollywood Park will bring the Pick 4 wager front and

center this meet, offering a $1 Pick 4 wager daily with

guaranteed pools. Bettors will be assured of a $200,000 pool

every day, with that amount reaching the $400,000 level on

Saturdays.

The first stakes race of the Hollywood Park fall meet was the

restricted $60,000 Bien Bien S. for three-year-olds going one

mile on the turf. As the field thundered down the homestretch in

the Bien Bien, trainer Doug O'Neill was beset by conflicting

emotions.

The conditioner's Perfect Moon (Malibu Moon) had just secured

a tenuous lead, while stablemate Whilly (Ire) (Sri Pekan) was hot

on his heels. The Hollywood ending for this story would be for

both runners to finish in a dead-heat at the wire. But, this is

the real world, and Whilly blew past his barn mate in deep

stretch to post a decisive 1 1/4-length win.

A grandson of Red Ransom, Whilly earned his first stakes

success and his first victory in North America since arriving

from Italy. The winner sat a perfect stalking trip along the

inside before coming off the rail and rallying past the leader in

the stretch under rider Felipe Martinez, who registered his

initial stakes success at Hollywood Park. The post time favorite

in the Bien Bien, Top of the Bill (Lear Fan), was making his

first start for trainer Neil Drysdale and raced lethargically

throughout, finishing last in a very non-descript effort.

In the other grass stakes contested on opening weekend at

Hollywood Park, Penny's Fortune (Storm Cat) refused to yield the

lead in the stretch after carving a dawdling early pace in the

Audrey Skirball-Kenis S. and registered a hard fought half-length

score. The race is named in honor of Audrey Skirball-Kenis, a

well-known philanthropist and owner who campaigned such highly

regarded horses as Super Quercus and Mazel Trick. The winner was

saddled by Jenine Sahadi, and ridden to victory by jockey Jose

Valdivia Jr., who registered his second stakes victory aboard the

three-year-old filly.

O'Neill holds a slim lead over Mike Harrington in the

trainer's standings. Harrington trails O'Neill by just one

victory, while sending out half as many runners. Two of

Harrington's winners were dropping in class, while another came

with a first timer. John Sadler and A. C. Avila are tied for

third with three wins apiece. Like Harrington, Avila has also

done well with runners dropping in class, and two of those

victories had jockey changes as well. Clifford W. Sise Jr., Bob

Baffert and Daniel Dunham are all tied for fifth with two

victories each.

There is a triple dead-heat for leading jockey honors with

Tyler Baze, Rene Douglas and Martinez tied for first. Each rider

has booted home five winners, with Martinez being a somewhat of a

surprise that he shares top honors. He rode Whilly to victory for

O'Neill and has combined with Dunham for two victories as well.

There are a host of riders in close pursuit of the leaders.

The main track was relatively bias-free during the opening

week, with speed holding a slight edge in sprints over the

weekend. There were no preferred running styles on grass all week.

As far as path biases were concerned on dirt, runners along the

inside over the weekend did well.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (11/3)

3RD - NINETY FINE (Event of the Year) was a much improved

second dropping into a state-bred 40K maiden claimer. He broke

awkwardly leaving the gate, was steadied a bit shortly thereafter

as well, and raced wide down the backstretch. Commenced a strong

rally on the far turn while widest of all and finished with good

energy late behind a loose frontrunner.

4TH - FRANKELSTEIN (Bertrando) displayed surprising early

speed to stalk a hot pace on the front end. Raced three-wide

chasing strong fractions. He maintained his position against an

extremely strong turn-time in :22 1/5. Reported home six lengths

clear of the fourth place finisher in an extremely quick race.

May be at his best if able to sit and make one run.

Thursday (11/4)

4TH - LUCKY PULPIT (PULPIT) was pinned down along the rail

virtually the entire way in first start off the shelf. Was under

only token encouragement late. Useful prep returning to Hollywood

turf, the course of his lone grass win. Sophomore can either

sprint or route, and this might have been a "get acquainted"

race for jockey Gary Stevens.

5TH - BUTTE CITY (HIGH BRITE) finished a sharp third off the

bench for trainer Mike Mitchell in his first start off the claim. Finished with

interest despite stalking a quick pace carved out by a superior

speed horse. Butte City has won setting, stalking and rating from

off the pace in the past. Should obviously move forward off this

effort and fits nicely at the $10,000 level.

Friday (11/5)

3RD - DOLLY WELLS (Arg) (Poliglote [GB]), a formerly Argentine-based

runner, may finally be coming to hand. She improved to second off

a prolonged layoff here and finished with good energy behind a

prohibitive winner. A flat mile and a lively early pace would

suit her extremely well in her next start.

4TH - ALL CAT (Mountain Cat) was ultra impressive off a layoff

for Sise. Settled suddenly on the far turn and closed strongly

down the middle of the track to win going away with jockey Kent

Desormeaux assuming the role of a passenger. The four-year-old

can handle the jump into a non-winners of two starter allowance

contest if judiciously spotted.

Saturday (11/6)

6TH - GIRL WARRIOR (Elusive Quality) sorely needed this race

coming off a layoff of more than two months while tackling males.

In a change of tactics, she dictated the early pace and held well

once displaced on the front end along the inside. The sophomore

was not abused late in just her second start over the main track.

Revert to rating tactics and a return to her own sex while making

her second start off the shelf would be definite pluses.

9TH - ORBITS WORLD (Unusual Heat) showed a dramatic form

reversal in turf debut. Turned back to a sprint while adding

blinkers, the juvenile settled far behind the early pace and

leveled off nicely on the turn. Trapped behind a wall of horses

while attempting to rally, he closed strongly once securing

running room along the rail to be a clear second to a well bet/well

meant debut winner. Orbits World has two full brothers who have

won over grass.

Sunday (11/7)

4TH - MY ONOMATOPOEIA (Wild Deputy) held gamely setting a

pressured pace along the inside after departing from a tough

inside post. Appreciated the class relief, dropping to the 40K

level and switching back to Hollywood Park, a course he likes. He

was beaten only three parts of a length in a sharp effort. Owns

dangerous tactical speed and fits well at his level.

5TH - HELENICO (Arg) (Rainbow Corner [GB]) found 1 1/16 miles

and the Hollywood Park surface more to his liking off a layoff.

Wrestled back to stalk the early pacesetter along the inside down

the backstretch, he was shuffled back approaching the far turn,

losing his position when placed in tight quarters. The Jeff

Mullins trainee dispensed a strong rally to loom a threatening

presence turning for home, but weakened under pressure in deep

stretch in a race he obviously needed.