Horse racing: Today at Hollywood Park, Dec. 6

TODAY AT HOLLYWOOD PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Race 1 – 6 furlongs, Purse $48,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 2-year-olds

1 Z Big Apple – Bob Baffert barn has bounced back from a zero at the Breeders’ Cup; his stock is just stronger than everyone else.

5 Mico Margarita – Has run three good races for the Steve Asmussen barn; tactical speed to sit a nice trip throughout.

Long Shot – 3 Kafister

Race 2 – 6 furlongs (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $30,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

5 Promiscuoussuances – Could be the lone early speed in this turf sprint; definitely catch him to win.

3 Nice Meidel – Claimed by Jack Carava and spotted nicely to win first out; he hires Rafael Bejarano to get the job done.

Long Shot – 4 Hout Bay

Race 3 – 6 furlongs, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, Fillies, 2-year-olds

7 Mazzy – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much in a modest looking group.

5 Sunflare – When the ones with experience look like this, the FTS get a second look; Doug O’Neill has an uncoupled entry in here.

Long Shot – 3 Senorita Cautelosa

Race 4 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $16,000, Claiming $8,000, 3-year-olds and up

2 Coluda – Speedy sort draws well to go right to the front; will takes these as far as he can under Martin Garcia.

8 Power Series – Has tactical speed to attend the early pace; might just grind down the field in a slow motion stretch run.

Long Shot – 5 Morganouska

Race 5 – 6 furlongs (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $34,000, Claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds

4 A Toe By Three – If his last race is any clue, he’ll be tough today too; has four turf starts with a show finish each time.

8 D J Dave – Exits a key race where he folded up his tents early; suspect he’s better than that for Mike Mitchell, rebounder.

Long Shot – 7 Eaton Hall

Race 6 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $18,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

7 Swiss Emperor – His last two starts are both fast enough to win this; improvement came with blinkers on in those starts.

1 Denny the Great – Broke thru with a huge race last time at 21/1 price; won’t be that today, but a repeat race is good enough.

Long Shot – 4 Become the Wind

Race 7 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $52,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up

6 Fast Bullet – Had an impossible task in the BC Sprint off a year layoff; his best is easily enough to defeat these.

3 Bench Points – Suspect his 15/1 odds won’t last; class relief exiting three stakes for this condition.

Long Shot – 8 Sequoia Warrior

Race 8 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $45,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, Fillies, 2-year-olds

3 Van Dien Avenue – Showed enormous improvement in her second career start; turf helped, now stretching out in distance.

1 Maddog Maddie – The rail is a good spot to start at a mile in Inglewood; will save all the ground inside.

Long Shot – 4 Flaxen Maiden

Best Bet – 1 Z Big Apple (race 1)

Hollywood Park Sunday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 17/4/$25.80; Long Shots, 9/2/$31.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Hollywood Park Totals – 264/69/$440.20; Long Shots, 136/21/$235.80; Best Bets, 15/7/$30.60

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #2 Elusive One (6/1) in race 7 at Fair Grounds. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Sheza Classy Lady won at Aqueduct paying $2.60 to win, $2.10 to place and $2.10 to show. Stats – 179/122/$1,060.20; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick