Horse Racing, Hollywood Park, May 19
Today at Hollywood Park
Post Time 11 a.m.
Race 1 – 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $62,000, Allowance, 4-year-olds and up
3 Fire With Fire – Third start off a 5-month hiatus can be the best race of this cycle; tactical speed to sit a good trip throughout.
2 Haimish Hy – Also making his third start, this off a 10-month hiatus; gets class relief from the grade 3 Inglewood.
Long Shot – 1 Make Music For Me
Race 2 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $27,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
4 Additional Demands – FTS from the Jeff Mullins barn; hard to ignore because those with experience just can’t run.
1 Eric the Ram – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; barn is on a goose egg so far this year.
Long Shot – 2 Hello Frankie
Race 3 – 7 furlongs, $100,000 Railbird, Fillies, 3-year-olds
3 Killer Graces – Like the turnback in distance from route to sprint; she has an excellent Inglewood resume too.
1 Sister Moon – She clearly has talent, but must also have issues; she has long time gaps between each of her 3 career starts.
Long Shot – 2 Lady Fairbanks
Race 4 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $21,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Lift Our Luck – Hard not to like despite returning from a 10-month hiatus; Jeff Mullins drops her in class from $50K to $16K.
3 Warren’s City Art – She appears to be on a slowly improving cycle; key vote is Rafael Bejarano remains loysl in 4 straight starts.
Long Shot – 6 Kalk Bay
Race 5 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $46,000, Claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds and up
2 Saratoga Yankee – Third start off a 15-month hiatus in a positive form cycle; runs first time in his life for a price tag.
4 Euroglide – Tepid chalk exits a solid grass win at Santa Anita; his turf resume remains strong despite slowing down a step.
Long Shot – 6 Red Defense
Race 6 – 4 1/2 furlongs, Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 2-year-olds
8 Salty Evergreen – FTS from the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer; key vote is Rafael Bejarano riding this baby who has quick pedigree.
3 Alydidit – Baby FTS from the live Walther Solis; if these babies show anything it’s usually early on.
Long Shot – 4 Bodaway
Race 7 – 7 furlongs, Purse $57,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up
1 Hoorayforhollywood – Bob Baffert may not be using Martin Garcia anymore, but there are more than enough jockeys to use in SoCal.
7 Bet On Victor – Ran a monster race to win off a 9-month hiatus; key will be if he bounces or not off such a huge win.
Long Shot – 3 Sahara Sky
Race 8 – 6 furlongs, Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
6 Marinda – Was flattered when Splendid Fortune won next out; looks very strong in a race full of question marks.
2 Give My Regards – Typical green debut, slow early fast late; figures to improve with her strong Smart Strike pedigree.
Long Shot – 4 Revered
Race 9 – 1 1/16th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $57,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up
6 Smug – Did everything but win last time in a strong effort; he has proven he does not need the lead to succeed.
4 Key Decision – Interesting import from Argentina for A. C. Avila; he looks like a horse who loved turf in South America.
Long Shot – 9 Akkadian
Race 10 – 1 1/16th miles, $150,000 Marge Everett Handicap, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Include Me Out – She has returned with a vengeance for trainer Ron Ellis; she has a high ceiling and is in top form now.
6 Zazu – She may be a more talented filly, but a 8-month hiatus can lend itself to rust; key question is her fitness level.
Long Shot – 7 Ellafitz
Race 11- 6 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
15 – Jenren Fitz Me – Mike Mitchell can make mincemeat in a field this slow; ran well in debut at Turf Paradise.
14 Queen Mercury – Tepid chalk in a wide open affair; named for Freddy Mercury of Queen, she hasn’t run much so far.
Long Shot – 9 Tiz a Brite Miss
Best Bet – 3 Killer Graces (race 3)
Betfair Hollywood Park Thursday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/4/$28.80; Long Shots, 8/1/$10.00; Best Bet, 0/0/$0
Betfair Hollywood Park Totals – 218/53/$362.60; Long Shots, 111/16/$152.20; Best Bets, 12/3/$10.60
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #7 Magical Merry (6/1) in race 7 at Pimlico. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Adena’s Chance won at Churchill Downs paying $3.60 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.40 to show. Stats – 77/51/$441.70; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick