LUKAS TO SADDLE VICTORY SPEECH IN LAZ BARRERA
Victory Speech, who turned in one of the most impressive 3-year-old performances on the West Coast this summer, returns to Hollywood Park for Sunday's $100,000-added Lazaro S. Barrera Stakes (Gr. III).
"One of his best races was in the Swaps at Hollywood Park," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said of his 3 1/2-length victory over Prince of Thieves and Hesabull in the July 21 race. "He's had a real solid campaign this year."
Victory Speech has racked up five wins and earnings of $805,600 from 13 starts, racing at 11 tracks on both coasts.
"He ran two real good races against Skip Away," Lukas said, referring to his second in the Ohio Derby (Gr. II) and third in the Haskell (Gr. I) behind Sonny Hine's charge. "We need one of those races back. Either the Swaps, the Ohio Derby, the Haskell or the Dwyer. If he runs one of those races, we're in good shape."
The son of Deputy Minister earned Grade II wins in the Swaps and Dwyer, and is also a veteran of the Triple Crown. He finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby (Gr. I) behind stablemate Grindstone and checked in fifth behind Louis Quatorze in the Preakness (Gr. I).
"After this, we might look at the Strub series," Lukas said. "We might pick the series up in the second leg."
In other developments:
Northern Afleet went five panels in 1:01 1/5 Wednesday morning at Hollywood Park.
Probables for the $100,000-added Lazaro S. Barrera Stakes (Gr. III) for 3-year-olds, to be run Sunday at 1 1/16 miles on the main track: Alyrob, Corey Nakatani, 117; Don't Blame Rio, Alex Solis, 117; Future Quest, Kent Desormeaux, 117; Victory Speech, Gary Stevens, 123; Northern Afleet, Chris McCarron, 114, and Zanferrier, Goncalino Almeida, 114.
MOTT TO SEND OUT DEFENDING CHAMP DUDA, BAIL OUT BECKY IN MATRIARCH
Trainer Bill Mott announced 1995 Matriarch (Gr. I) winner Duda will return to Hollywood Park to defend her title in the $700,000 contest along with stablemate Bail Out Becky.
"She ran a fantastic race last year," Mott said of Duda's one-length win in the 1 1/4-mile turf race, in which ten horses finished within three lengths of the winner. "But Duda hasn't been at the top of her game since her Matriarch win".
The 5-year-old mare has mustered only one win in an overnight allowance from five starts in 1995. She was well beaten in the Beverly D at Arlington, checking in seventh behind Matriarch hopefuls Timarida, Alpride and Auriette.
"I hate to make excuses," Mott said. "But I don't think her Matriarch win was a fluke. She just hasn't been able to reproduce that race."
The upside is the daughter of Theatrical will return to the site of her biggest win. The $385,000 she banked for The Matriarch win is more than half of her earnings of $657,968.
Mott's other half of the entry will be Grade I winner Bail Out Becky.
"Bail Out Becky will run at Churchill Downs this weekend," Mott said. "Our plan is to come out after that."
The 4-year-old filly is no stranger to the Hollywood Park turf course. She captured the Miesque as a 2-year-old, finished tenth behind Duda in the Matriarch last year, and ran second to Different in the Beverly Hills Handicap (Gr. I) this summer.
"It was one of her better races," Mott said of the Beverly Hills.
In other developments:
Yellow Ribbon (Gr. I) winner Donna Viola worked four furlongs in :49 2/5 for new trainer Ben Cecil.
Admise drilled four furlongs in :49 1/5 Tuesday morning at Santa Anita.
Last year's Yellow Ribbon (Gr. I) winner Alpride went four panels in :48 2/5 at Santa Anita Tuesday morning for trainer Ron McAnally.
RADU COOL IN SATURDAY'S FLAWLESSLY
Radu Cool, perfect in two tries over the Hollywood turf, returns in Saturday's $60,000-added Flawlessly. The lightly raced 4-year-old filly has been off since a sixth-place finish in the Ramona (Gr. I) at Del Mar.
"She's trained very well," he said. "She's just not a very big filly. We've had to space her races and take our time with her."
Radu Cool scored by 11 lengths, and defeated Alpride and Tricky Code by two lengths in her two Hollywood starts. The chestnut filly has won five of her ten starts, but has never ran more than two races without a break.
"We didn't realize her feet were bothering her until after the Ramona," Shirreffs said. "Unfortunately, it cost her the summer. We'd like to get two or three races together, and get a little campaign going."
Probables for Saturday's $60,000-added Flawlessly for fillies and mares, to be run at 1 1/16 miles over the turf course: Above The Table, Brice Blanc; Grafin, Corey Black; Olimpia Dukakis, Alex Solis; Convertida, no rider, and Radu Cool, Rene Douglas.
TOC TO HOST OWNERSHIP COURSE
Thoroughbred Owners of California will be hosting an informational session for anyone interested in learning more about racehorse ownership. The "Horse Course" will take place Saturday, November 30 at Hollywood Park. The free workshop will begin in the owner/trainer lounge at 8:30 a.m. Participants will watch workouts, visit the barn area and meet owners and trainers,
Topics include acquiring a Thoroughbred, finding a trainer, and costs of ownership. For further information, contact the TOC at (310) 330-7142.
FINISH LINES: Trainer John Shirreffs said multiple graded stakes winner Borodislew has been retired to 505 Farms in Lexington, Ky. The daughter of Seattle Slew earned wins in the Chula Vista (Gr. II) and Lady's Secret in 1995, as well as the Hawthorne Handicap (Gr. II) in May at Hollywood Park. She finished seventh in her final race, the Louis R. Rowan Handicap on Oct. 26 at Santa Anita . . . Dense fog from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. limited the recording of workouts Wednesday morning at Hollywood Park . . . Dramatic Gold, ninth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (Gr. I) behind stablemate Alphabet Soup in his last start, drilled five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 Wednesday morning . . . Criollito, 12th in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (Gr. I), zipped four furlongs in :47 4/5 at Santa Anita in preparation for the Vernon O. Underwood (Gr. III) on Dec. 7 . . . Goodwood Handicap (Gr. II) winner Savinio breezed four furlongs in :47 2/5 at Santa Anita in preparation for the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs, where he could meet Southern California runners Chequer and Isitingood . . . Falkenham, who checked in fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Gr. I) for trainer Michael Harte, worked five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 at Santa Anita . . . Breeders' Cup Sprint (Gr. I) runner-up Paying Dues breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5 in preparation for the Hollywood Turf Express (Gr. III) on Nov. 29 . . . Trainer Bobby Frankel received the first three of 11 new European imports from Juddmonte Farms. The French-trained horses are Barricade, Media Nox and Revidere. Barricade, a 3-year-old son of Riverman has two wins from nine starts and finished third in two graded stakes this summer. Media Nox, a 3-year-old filly by Lycius, has four wins from six starts and took the Group 3 Prix Du Bois at Chantilly last year.
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