Slick win for Oil Man in Cinema

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds and Michael Tala's OIL MAN (Ire) (Pyrus) had just one horse beat on

the backstretch of Sunday's $100,000

Cinema H.

(G3) at Hollywood Park, put in a wide rally rounding the turn and ran down

the longtime pacesetter Arcodoro (Medaglia d'Oro) to earn his first stakes

victory by one length.

Trained by John Sadler, Oil Man was sent off the 2-1 second choice and

returned $6.40, $3.40 and $2.80 for completing the 1 1/8-mile, firm turf feature

in 1:48 3/5. The bay keyed the $1 exotics that paid $46.40 (exacta), $121

(trifecta) and $278.50 (7-8-1-5 superfecta).

Arcodoro, still a maiden after four previous trips to the track, was seeking

that elusive first win in his second try on turf. Moving up to take the lead,

the dark bay colt established splits of :24 2/5, :48 2/5 and 1:13 while as much

as four lengths in front of Flashmans Papers (GB) (Exceed and Excel), his

nearest rival on the backstretch. All the while, jockey Joel Rosario and Oil Man

were content to lope along near the rear while staying in touch with the rest of

the field.

Nearing the turn, Flashmans Papers and Herr Mozart (Mr. Greeley) drew closer

to Arcodoro, who was still going strong, and Oil Man commenced his rally on the

far outside. As 7-5 favorite Massone (Menifee) was waiting for some running room

on the rail, Oil Man came four wide down the lane, overhauling the game leader

in the final strides.

Arcodoro returned $10.40 and $4.40 as the 17-1 longshot for holding second by

a neck over Massone, who finally angled to the outside of the pacesetter but ran

out of ground late. Show was worth $2.40, and it was another 1 1/4 lengths back to

Herr Mozart. Dover Street Art (Ire) (Alhaarth) and Flashmans Papers completed

the order under the wire after Elusive Bluff (Elusive Quality) and Arden Park

(Ecton Park) were withdrawn.

Oil Man was making his fourth stakes attempt in this one, having previously

run fourth in the Eddie Logan S. in his stateside bow in late December, sixth in

the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2) in his sophomore debut and seventh in the

Transylvania S. (G3) two races back. He earned his second career win last out

against allowance foes, and has now improved his record to 10-3-1-1, $107,194.

Bred in Ireland by Diana Webley, Oil Man is the only registered foal out of

the winning So Precious (Batshoof [Ire]), herself a daughter of Group 3-placed

listed heroine Golden Form (GB) (Formidable). This is the same family as Group 2

victor Fight Club (Ger) (Lavirco) and Group 3 scorer Flambo (Platini).