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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.
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