Thursday, May 14 2009

HP Stable Notes: May 13th 2009

BAFFERT GUNS FOR BI-COASTAL STAKES DOUBLE

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will be in the national spotlight with Pioneerof the Nile in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Saturday but he will also send out Guns On the Table in the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap at Hollywood Park the same afternoon.

The Grade III test at six furlongs on Cushion Track highlights a program that begins at 11 a.m. in conjunction with a Preakness Day simulcast from Baltimore.

Monday, May 11 2009

WITTY PREVAILS IN BATTLE OF UNBEATEN FILLIES

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 10, 2009) — Witty hooked fellow unbeaten filly Carlsbad at the top of the stretch and pulled away in the final sixteenth to win Sunday’s $100,000 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park by 1 ½ lengths under jockey Victor Espinoza.

The victory kept Witty’s record perfect in three starts and provided Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella a record fourth victory in the Grade III event for 3-year-old fillies.

Stable Notes: May 5 2009

MITCHELL SEEKS WEEKEND STAKES SWEEP

There was something old and something new in the Mike Mitchell barn in quest of a stakes sweep at Hollywood Park next weekend.

Something new is Dehere Again, a 4-year-old Australian import scheduled to make his United States debut in the $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap, a Grade III test at six furlongs on Cushion Track Saturday.

Sunday, May 10 2009

BALL FOUR TURNS BACK RAIL TRIP IN STRETCH TO WIN MERVYN LEROY

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 9, 2009) — Unbeaten Rail Trip seemed poised to extend his winning streak to six when he pulled alongside gritty veteran Ball Four at the quarter pole, but the pacesetter left the favorite in his wake in the stretch to post a 16-1 upset under jockey Joe Talamo in Saturday’s $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Ball Four, winner of the Fayette at Keeneland and third here in the Native Diver Handicap last fall, bounced back from a ninth-place finish in the San Pasqual in January, leading every step of the way while covering 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:41.58 to win the 30th running of the Grade II event.

Friday, May 08 2009

COCO BELLE PREVAILS UNDER SMITH IN FEATURE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 7, 2009) — Coco Belle seized the lead from the start and led all the way under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith to snap a six-race losing streak in Thursday’s $60,000 allowance feature at Hollywood Park.

The chestnut mare covered 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.33 while hanging on in the stretch for a one-length victory over She’s Cheeky. Ashley’s Kitty finished third in the field of six fillies and mares, followed by even-money favorite Foxy Danseur.

Thursday, May 07 2009

UNBEATEN RAIL TRIP AIMS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN IN MERVYN LEROY

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 7, 2009) — Unbeaten Rail Trip will try to stretch his unbeaten streak to six when he carries high weight of 119 pounds in Saturday’s 30th running of the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Rail Trip, owned by Jay Em Ess Stable and trained by Ron Ellis, had a chip taken out of an ankle as a 2-year-old and did not start until late in his 3-year-old year, but he is quickly making up for lost time.

MANDELLA SEEKS RECORD FOURTH RAILBIRD WITH WITTY

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella seeks a record fourth victory in the $100,000 Railbird Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with unbeaten Witty at Hollywood Park Sunday.

From everything he has seen so far, Mandella thinks Witty could be every bit as good as his three previous winners — She’s Tops in 1992, Supercilious in 1996 and Brulay in 1998 — in the Grade III test at seven furlongs on Cushion Track.

Monday, May 04 2009

RAIL TRIP, CARLSBAD SEEK TO EXTEND UNBEATEN STREAKS

Rail Trip and Carlsbad, both undefeated in five starts, seek to add to those streaks in stakes features at Hollywood Park next weekend.

Rail Trip, a 4-year-old gelding, will try to win his first graded stake in the $150,000, Grade II Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track Saturday.

Friday, May 01 2009

ROSARIO RIDES FIVE WINNERS TO TIE BEJARANO ATOP STANDINGS

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 1, 2009) — Favorite Maui Mark, fourth at the head of the stretch, easily caught pacesetter Slam Slew with a furlong to run and drew away for a 3 1/4-length victory as Joel Rosario notched his fourth of five wins in Friday’s $48,000 allowance feature at Hollywood Park.

The five-win afternoon gave Rosario 14 as he moved into a tie atop the Hollywood Park jockeys’ standings with Rafael Bejarano, who is in Kentucky where he will ride Chocolate Candy in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Thursday, April 30 2009

EARLY POST TIMES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT HOLLYWOOD PARK

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (April 30, 2009) — Post times at Hollywood Park for Friday and Saturday will be at 1 p.m. and 11 a.m., respectively, for the simulcast of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby programs.

Track gates will open at 7 a.m. both days with the first import from Churchill Downs at 7:30 a.m.

Besides the Kentucky Oaks, the imports on Friday will include the 2009 debut of unbeaten champion Zenyatta in the $350,000 Louisville Distaff Breeders’ Cup, which has an 11:10 a.m. post time. The $500,000 Kentucky Oaks will run between the fourth and fifth Hollywood Park races at 2:45 p.m.

ESPINOZA CHANGES TACTICS, COMPLETES DOUBLE ON CANDY PULL

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (April 29, 2009) — Jockey Victor Espinoza called an audible and guided 11-1 shot Candy Pull to a front-running victory in Wednesday’s $52,000 allowance feature at Hollywood Park.

Espinoza, who also rode Misremembered to victory one race earlier, planned to come from off the pace, but he let Candy Ride roll when he showed early speed. The 4-year-old gelding responded with an impressive 2 ½-length victory to snap a six-race winless streak.

BACKSTRETCH CONSENSUS FAVORS I WANT REVENGE IN DERBY

A random sampling of trainers based at Hollywood Park Wednesday favored I Want Revenge in the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Saturday, although CashCall Futurity winner Pioneerof the Nile and Papa Clem also received support in a 20-horse line-up with potent California connections.

The selections:

Jesse Mendoza — “I’ve got to go for (trainer Jeff) Mullins’s horse (I Want Revenge). He was so impressive in his last race, getting left at the gate and overcoming trouble to win.”