Mr. Commons tops American

After producing convincing wins this winter in the Grade 2 Arcadia and Grade

2 Sir Beaufort, Mr. Commons was upset at odds-on in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe

Mile on March 3, finishing second by a neck. The John Shirreffs-trained colt

will look to rebound when he squares off against 10 rivals in Saturday's Grade

2, $150,000

American Handicap at Hollywood Park.

A turf maiden special weight scorer, Mr. Commons was on the Triple Crown

scene last year, recording a third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby before

shipping to Baltimore for an eighth in the Preakness Stakes. He returned to his

preferred surface on Del Mar's opening-day program, winning the grassy Oceanside

Stakes for three-year-olds, and then turned in a pair of top-class performances

against older horses, missing by a nose in second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile

before another close runner-up in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Mile. The Artie Schiller

colt was never a serious factor when fifth in the Breeders' Cup Mile, but closed

out his sophomore season with a smart 3 1/4-length tally in the Sir Beaufort on

December 26.

Mr. Commons rolled to an easy one-length decision in the February 4 Arcadia,

but could not catch an unheralded rival after getting briefly bottled up in

traffic in the Kilroe. He remains the class of the American field and will

retain the services of Mike Smith.

Compari looms as the main challenger in the one-mile turf affair. Trained by

Marty Jones, Compari sandwiched a third in the Kilroe around a victory in the

Sensational Star and a third in the Grade 3 San Simeon, both coming down the

hill in about 6 1/2-furlong events at Santa Anita. The six-year-old gelding is

comfortable at the one-mile distance, posting a 4-0-1 mark from seven starts,

including a victory in the 2010 Arcadia, and will likely show speed from his

rail post beneath Rafael Bejarano.

Liberian Freighter is a candidate to run well if ready off the 329-day

layoff. The seven-year-old gelding posted a couple of front-running stakes wins

last spring, taking both the Arcadia and Grade 3 Inglewood, but went to the

sidelines after being well-beaten in the American and Shoemaker (which was held

in July last year). The Neil Drysdale pupil has won five of 11 starts over the

Hollywood turf.

Grade 3 hero Wilkinson is set to make his first appearance in California

under the direction of new trainer Jeff Mullins. Third in the Grade 1 Jamaica

and second in the Grade 3 Commonwealth in his final two starts last year, the

four-year-old received a change in scenery after recording three consecutive

unplaced finishes this year. Martin Pedroza picks up the mount. Multiple stakes

winner Calimonco exits a fourth in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile and recorded a

third in November's Grade 2 Citation in his last start at Hollywood. Alonso

Quinonez rides for conditioner John Sadler. Barney Rebel will try graded company

following a wire-to-wire win over optional claiming foes on April 22, and

Mobilized will move back to turf after a 7 1/4-length victory against

California-bred rivals in the Tiznow Stakes on Cushion Track.