| Home of the 1997 Breeders' Cup |
IN EXCESSIVE BULL RUSHES INTO HOLLYWOOD FUTURITY
Hollywood Prevue (Gr. III) winner In Excessive Bull has quickly moved up the class ladder since his debut on Oct. 5, and will try to move up another notch in Sunday’s $250,000-added Hollywood Futurity (Gr. I) at Hollywood Park.
"He’s doing good," trainer Bob Baffert said of the colt’s preparation. "I think he’s the best 2-year-old here."
Baffert has high hopes for the bay son of In Excess, who has two wins from three starts and earnings of $95,270, never finishing out of the money. Corey Nakatani, who has guided the California-bred in all three of his starts, will be in the irons for the Futurity.
"He’s definitely the horse to beat in this race," Baffert said. "He just needs more race experience overall. Talent-wise, he’s head-and-shoulders above the rest."
In other Hollywood Futurity developments:
Flew the City breezed three furlongs in :36 on Friday.
Swiss Yodeler worked four furlongs in :51 on Friday.
The 13-horse field for the Hollywood Futurity, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, follows in post position order with all horses carrying 121 pounds: Constant Demand, Eddie Delahoussaye; Higher With Fire, Rene Douglas; Swiss Yodeler, Alex Solis; Steel Ruhlr, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Stolen Gold, Chris McCarron; Master Marshal, David Flores; Flew the City, Matt Garcia; Free House, Kent Desormeaux; In Excessive Bull, Nakatani; Leestown, Gary Stevens; Mellifont, Mike Smith; Robynhood, Corey Black, and Carmen’s Baby, Julio Garcia.
Higher with Fire and Master Marshal will be coupled as part of the mutuel field.
MARLIN SWIMS WITH SHARKS IN HOLLYWOOD TURF CUP
Crown Royal Hollywood Derby (Gr. I) winner Marlin meets older horses in Sunday’s $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr. I).
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas thinks he is up to the task.
"This was the plan all along," Lukas said. "If we were to win the Hollywood Derby, we’d wheel right back in the Turf Cup. He was competitive all summer, running against some of the top older horses on the East Coast, going a mile-and-a-half on the turf. Now I’m not a handicapper, but I really feel this field’s gonna have to deal with him. "
Marlin, a 3-year-old son of Sword Dance, also won the Grade I Secretariat at Arlington Park on Aug. 25. The Florida-bred has posted five wins in 15 starts, with earnings of $827,280 for Michael Tabor. Corey Nakatani rides Marlin for the first time in the Hollywood Turf Cup.
The 10-horse field for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, to be run at 1 1/2 miles, follows in post position order: Party Season, Julio Garcia, 126; Running Flame, Chris McCarron, 126; Mr. Bluebird, Mike Smith, 126; Windsharp, Eddie Delahoussaye, 123; Raintrap, Alex Solis, 126; Wings Bash, Corey Black, 126; Talloires, Kent Desormeaux, 126; Marlin, Nakatani, 122; Bon Point, Gary Stevens, 126, and Mister Alleged, Brice Blanc, 126.
Juddmonte Farms’ Bon Point and Raintrap will be coupled as part of the mutuel field.
QUEEN OF MONEY RETURNS AFTER LAYOFF FOR HOLLYWOOD STARLET
Queen of Money makes her return in Saturday’s $150,000-added Hollywood Starlet (Gr. I) after being sidelined for three months with shin problems.
"She’s ready for this race," trainer Bob Baffert said. "She’s coming off a long layoff and it’s sort of asking a lot of her to come back to this Grade I race. But she’s ready to run. I worked her a mile the other day with the Bull and she came through fine."
The chestnut filly has one win from three starts and a bankroll of $25,075 since her debut here on July 7. She most recently finished sixth in the Del Mar Debutante (Gr. II) after getting a wide trip. David Flores, who has piloted her in each of her three starts, again rides the daughter of Corporate Report.
"She’s got her work cut out for her," Baffert said. "I’m hoping she can run somewhere in the top three. This should be a good race. We’re stretching her out here. Down the road, I think she’s going to be a good filly."
The field for the $150,000-added Hollywood Starlet (Gr. I), to be run at 1 1/16 miles, follows in post position order with all horses carrying 120 pounds: Wealthy, Chris McCarron; City Band, Gary Stevens; Sharp Cat, Corey Nakatani; High Heeled Hope, Alex Solis; Dove Shell, Mike Smith; Queen of Money, Flores; Critical Factor, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Cerita, Rene Douglas.
ADMISE MOVES TO DAHLIA HANDICAP
In a last-minute switch, trainer Walter Greenman entered Admise in Sunday’s $100,000-added Dahlia Handicap (Gr. II) rather than the Hollywood Turf Cup as originally planned. "She’s ready to go," Greenman said. "She’s been working well. I think she’s got a better chance in this race."
The 4-year-old gray filly most recently finished fourth in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Gr. I) on Nov. 3.
"I don’t think she got the best trip," Greenman said.
The French-bred daughter of Highest Honor has five wins from 18 starts for earnings of $396,518, but has won three of four this year since coming from overseas. David Flores rides Admise for the first time.
In other Dahlia developments:
Antespend worked a half-mile in :47 3/5 at Santa Anita on Friday.
The 13-horse field for the $100,000-added Dahlia Handicap, to be run at 1 1/16 miles, follows in post position order: De Puntillas, Kent Desormeaux, 116; Grafin, Corey Black, 116; Admise, Mike Smith, 121; Radu Cool, Gary Stevens, 115; British Bauble, Paul Atkinson, 114; Antespend, Chris McCarron, 119; Sixieme Sens, Corey Nakatani, 115; Miss Lady Bug, Alex Solis, 115; Logia, David Flores, 113; Ribot’s Secret, Brice Blanc, 109; Special Eyes, Matt Garcia, 107; Real Connection, Goncalino Almeida, 115, and Wende, Danny Sorenson, 113.
Logia and Special Eyes will be coupled as part of the mutuel field.
FINISH LINES: Trainer Richard Mandella plans to point Ski Goggle Handicap winner Advancing Star at the Dec. 28 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita. The La Brea Stakes is a Grade II event for 3-year-old fillies and is part of the La Cañada series at the Arcadia track . . . Mandella also reported Gentlemen is set to go in the $100,000-added Native Diver (Gr. III) on closing day (Dec. 22) . . . Alyrob, aiming for the $300,000 San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 11, will not start in the Native Diver . . . On this date in 1986: Jockey Kent Desormeaux won his first career stakes race, aboard Godbey, in the Maryland City Handicap at Laurel.
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