HORSE RACING
TODAY AT HOLLYWOOD PARK
By Richard Eng
Post Time 11 a.m.
Race 1 – 7 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Claiming $12,500, Fillies, 3-year-olds
1 Millie N Marie – Heavy favorite looks every part in this 5-pack; speed to lead or follow close up.
2 Social Event – Good second in last facing this same class condition; has the back class to repeat the effort.
Long Shot – 4 Wild Cat Lore
Race 2 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $52,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
2 Kevlar Kid – Was flattered when First Dude won the Alysheba at Churchill on Oaks day; one of the day’s surest winners.
3 Coo Cachoo – Speedball tactics from this Julio Canani charge; will go as fast and as far as he can.
Long Shot – 4 Erbeia
Race 3 – 1 1/16th miles, $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, 3-year-olds and up
4 Sidney’s Candy – Slim edition of the LeRoy today; on paper he should be able to boss these with no troubles.
5 Spurrier – Bob Baffert barn is winning races from coast to coast; suspect the magic will make this a strong contender.
Long Shot – 2 Crown of Thorns
Race 4 – 1 1/16th miles (turf), Purse $50,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
7 Nereid – Lost her debut to Zazu, who just ran third in the KY Oaks; been away 6 months so the question remains fitness.
5 Izshelegal – Logical chalk off a resume of graded stakes races; tries turf for the first time off a 6-month hiatus.
Long Shot – 2 Last Sting
Race 5 – 5 furlongs, $70,000 Cool Frenchy, 3-year-olds and up
3 Cost of Freedom – Could be a chalky pick 5 should these strong favorites come through; lost a toughie in the Sunshine Millions.
5 Bulldogger – Cannot ignore the Bob Baffert factor in races from west to east; has shown flashes of brilliance in a couple wins.
Long Shot – 2 M One Rifle
Race 6 – 1 1/16th miles (turf), Purse $32,000, Claiming $25,000, 3-year-olds and up
3 El Merito – May have found his level winning on the drop in last; beat an honest group and will need to repeat.
8 Mr. Katz – Hard-luck loser to the chalk in last; he loves Hollywood grass so expect another blue-collar effort.
Long Shot – 1 Control Seeker
Race 7 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $29,000, Claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up
5 Gallatin’s Run – Tiny edge in the toughest race on the card and in the pick six; owned by radio sports talk host Jim Rome.
9 Magnificent Blend – Shocking upset at 2/5 odds in last at Turf Paradise; slides down the claiming ladder in Inglewood.
Long Shot – 6 Silver Stetson Man
Race 8 – 6 furlongs (turf), Purse $50,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds and up
2 Green Cat – Showed major improvement first time on grass; moves from outside to inside, an edge in Hollywood turf sprints.
7 Meadow Road – Tepid chalk has regressing Beyer speed figures; tries turf for the first time, has the pedigree to handle it.
Long Shot – 3 Brutally Handsome
Race 9 – 6 furlongs, Purse $35,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
11 Klassy Saint – Has been improving with each start for Bobby Troeger; hot riding Alonso Quinonez takes over for P Val.
8 Caffeine High – Ron Ellis doesn’t claim many, but he took this one and moved him up; switches from turf to synthetics.
Long Shot – 3 Dime
Race 10 – 1 mile (turf), $100,000 Senorita, Fillies, 3-year-olds
2 Cambina – On a 3-race win streak, all in stakes; she has an explosive late kick and does not have the herd mentality.
6 Great Hot – Popular win in U.S. debut in a dirt sprint; tries turf for the first time and her first race around 2 turns.
Long Shot – 3 Wave of Applause
Race 11 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
8 Bella Giornatta – Her last race is clearly fast enough to beat these; sliding down the maiden claiming ladder.
4 Rags for Ben – Ran a career best in last and may be ready for a photo; off value with low-percentage connections.
Long Shot – 5 Wicked Trip
Best Bet – 1 Millie N Marie (race 1)
Hollywood Park Friday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/4/$21.80; Long Shots, 7/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Hollywood Park Totals – 168/46/$324.00; Long Shots, 82/13/$120.60; Best Bets, 9/4/$16.40
SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY – 3 Riviera Cocktail (3/1) in race 9 at Belmont Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Arienza ran out at Churchill Downs. Stats – 74/47/$366.40
