| Home of the 1997 Breeders' Cup |
BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC CHAMPION ALPHABET SOUP GOES BACK TO WORK
Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup returned to the Hollywood Park worktab Sunday morning for the first time since capturing the $4-million race at Woodbine on Oct. 26.
“He worked a half-mile in :50 4/5, very nice and easy,” trainer David Hofmans said. “He’ll come back next week and go either five-eighths or three-quarters.”
Alphabet Soup, a 5-year-old son of Cozzene, is expected to begin his 1997 campaign in the Jan. 12 San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita, a 1 1/16-mile contest with a $200,000 purse. “It was pretty much what I expected to see,” Hofmans said. “He didn’t do anything, really. He just hopped around there on the rail.”
Alphabet Soup, a roan Pennsylvania-bred, has 10 wins from 23 starts and a bankroll of $3,050,270 for Ridder Thoroughbred Stable.
TALLOIRES RETURNS IN $500,000 HOLLYWOOD TURF CUP
Tallories, who finished a sixth in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf, tries to make amends in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr. I), highlight of next Sunday’s stakes tripleheader.
“He’s ready to run,” trainer Richard Mandella pronounced. “We’ve got [Kent] Desormeaux up again.”
The 6-year-old chestnut horse, owned by Dr. Ed Allred, Haras Du Mezeray and Hollywood Park CEO R.D. Hubbard, has five wins and earnings of $1,209,587 from 21 starts. Earlier this summer, the Kentucky-bred horse won the Grade II Caesars Palace Turf Handicap here, defeating highly-regarded Awad and stablemate Sandpit.
Mandella says plans for the 1 1/2-mile Turf Cup remain the same.
“We won’t do anything different,” Mandella said. “He always eases back and tries to come on at the finish.”
In other Hollywood Turf Cup developments: Admise, a 4-year-old filly trained by Walter Greenman, worked one mile in 1:38 4/5 on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Import Running Flame, conditioned by Mike Puype, drilled seven furlongs in 1:25 on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Wings Bash, who previously raced in Italy and is currently stabled in the Jenine Sahadi barn, worked one mile on turf in 1:30 3/5 Sunday.
Del Mar Derby winner Rainbow Blues breezed three furlongs on turf in :36 4/5 on Sunday.
Probables for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr. I), to be run at 1 1/2 miles over the grass: Admise, no rider; Bon Point, Gary Stevens; Marlin, Corey Nakatani or John Velazquez; Mister Alleged, Brice Blanc; Mr. Bluebird, Mike Smith; Party Season, no rider; Raintrap, Alex Solis; Running Flame, Chris McCarron; Talloires, Desormeaux, and Windsharp, Eddie Delahoussaye.
Possible: Rainbow Blues, Corey Nakatani, and Wings Bash, no rider.
NOTES FROM THE $100,000-ADDED DAHLIA HANDICAP
Richard Mandella reported that his 4-year-old Argentinian-import, Indianita, will not run in the $100,000-added Dahlia (Gr. II), but indicated that Zoonaqua is “probable.”
De Puntillas worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Antespend breezed seven furlongs in 1:26 1/5 on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Real Connection worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.
Ski Dancer breezed three furlongs on the turf in :37 2/5.
Radu Cool drilled one mile in 1:41 3/5 on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Probables for the $100,000-added Dahlia Handicap: Antespend, Chris McCarron; De Puntillas, no rider; Grafin, Corey Black; Radu Cool, Gary Stevens; Real Connection, Goncalino Almeida; Sixieme Sens, Corey Nakatani; Two Ninety Jones, no rider, and Zoonaqua, no rider.
Possible: Logia, no rider; Miss Lady Bug, Alex Solis; Princess Kali, no rider; Ski Dancer, no rider; Tricky Code, no rider; Wheatly Special, no rider, and Xianlang, no rider.
LUNA WELLS ON HER WAY
Luna Wells, a 3-year-old filly who finished 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, was recently purchased by Stanley Gumberg’s Skara Glen Stables and will be sent to Richard Mandella’s stables when she arrives.
“It was a surprise to me that I got her,” Mandella said. “She’ll be arriving about Christmas-time, and what we do with her after that, we won’t know until we see her.”
Mandella says he plans to run her sometime in the spring at Santa Anita.
HOLLYPARK TO ADD LAST-RACE TRIFECTA
Hollywood Park will add trifecta wagering to the last race for the remainder of the Autumn Meeting, beginning with Wednesday’s card at The Track of the Lakes and Flowers.
“We’re responding to feedback from the fans,” track chairman R.D. Hubbard said. “We’ve had many requests for the extra trifecta.”
There will still be superfecta wagering offered on the final race each day.
FINISH LINES: Michael Hunter will be out for two weeks with a slight crack in his right collarbone. Hunter was injured in Saturday’s sixth race when he was thrown from his mount, Wildly Joyous, at the three-eighths pole . . . Goncalino Almeida rode in yesterday’s fourth and reported his collarbone felt “fine.” He worked horses on Sunday and may ride again Wednesday . . . Advancing Star drilled four furlongs on Sunday in :46 4/5 in preparation for the Dec. 28 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita . . . Sharp Cat drilled five furlongs in :59 at Santa Anita on Sunday, preparing for the Dec. 14 Hollywood Starlet (Gr. I) . . . Alyrob breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on Sunday . . . Sandtrap drilled four furlongs in :49 1/5 on Sunday, getting ready for the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita . . . Sandpit, who will be race-ready in February, worked five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 on Sunday . . . Via Lombardia breezed four furlongs on the turf in :51 on Sunday.
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/)