Monday, December 15 2008

Hollywood Park Stable Notes: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008

BAFFERT DUO DRILLS FOR $750,000 CASHCALL FUTURITY

Trainer Bob Baffert, fresh off a two-three finish in the Hollywood Starlet on Saturday, will try again with two entrants in the $750,000 CashCall Futurity here next Saturday.

Baffert gave the green light to Pioneerof the Nile and Ventana after the pair worked Sunday at Santa Anita.

Sunday, December 14 2008

LARAGH IN COMMAND UNDER PRADO IN HOLLYWOOD STARLET

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 13, 2008) — Laragh, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in her previous start, shifted to Cushion Track and was in complete control as she scored a front-running victory under jockey Edgar Prado in Saturday’s $438,500 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park.

Laragh broke on top under Prado, was briefly challenged when a trio led by Pamona Ball challenged her heading into the backstretch, but quickly re-established her position. She cruised down the backstretch, opened up on the turn for home, and was not seriously threatened in the stretch while posting a one-length victory over Wynning Ride in a time of 1:41.96 for 1 1/16 miles.

Saturday, December 13 2008

INFORMED PROVES TO BE A BARGAIN FOR NEW OWNER

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2008) — Informed, a $500,000 yearling purchase who was claimed for the bargain price of $25,000 earlier this year, scored a 1 1/2-length victory under jockey Aaron Gryder in the $43,000 allowance/claiming feature Friday at Hollywood Park.

Gryder gave Informed a well-timed, ground-saving trip and the 4-year-old son of Tiznow drew clear with ease in the stretch while covering 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:41.53.

BAHAMA BREEZE AIMS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT WIN IN ON TRUST

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2008) — Undefeated Bahama Breeze will ship south in search of his sixth victory in Sunday’s $75,000 On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Bahama Breeze, claimed for $40,000 while winning his career bow on Jan. 12 at Golden Gate Fields, has added four wins since joining the barn of trainer Steve Miyadi. The bay son of Lord Carson has been favored in three of those races, the exception when he shipped to Santa Anita Park to win a state-bred allowance race in February.

PAMONA BALL SEEKS THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY IN HOLLYWOOD STARLET

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2008) — Darley Stable’s Pamona Ball will take a big step up in class as she aims for her third consecutive victory and her first graded stakes win in Saturday’s $429,500 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park.

Pamona Ball, trained by Eoin Harty, followed up a maiden win in October by rallying to score a one-length victory over Toro Bonito in the Sharp Cat Stakes here in November. Both were run at the Starlet distance of 1 1/16 miles.

Friday, December 12 2008

HP Stable Notes: Friday, Dec. 12, 2008

FRUMIOUS FIRES BULLET FOR CASHCALL FUTURITY

Northern California invader Frumious worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.80 Friday on Cushion Track under jockey Victor Espinoza for the $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 20.

Trainer Jeff Bonde shipped the colt from Golden Gate Fields on Sunday with groom Julio Rodriguez to the barn of trainer Craig Dollase, who supervised the drill.

SERRA SONG WINS BATTLE OF GRAYS IN HOLLYPARK FEATURE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2008) — Even-money favorite Serra Song out-dueled fellow gray/roan colt Lucky Honey through the stretch to win Thursday’s $43,144 allowance feature at Hollywood Park by a head under jockey Victor Espinoza.

Serra Song, owned by B. Wayne Hughes and trained by Richard Mandella, covered 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:41.11 while winning for the second time in five starts.

Thursday, December 11 2008

HP Stable Notes: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008

LARAGH ARRIVES FOR $429,500 HOLLYWOOD STARLET

Trainer John Terranova and Laragh, entered in the $429,500 Hollywood Starlet on Saturday, were making themselves comfortable in the Bob Baffert stable here Thursday, just as Baffert and his horses do when they ship to New York and reside in the Terranova barn at Belmont Park.

“She just walked this morning,” said Terranova. “She flew in last night. It was an uneventful trip. She was on a Fed Ex flight from Newark to LAX with Silver Stetson Man (a Baffert trainee).”

Wednesday, December 10 2008

DELTA STORM CONTINUES TO PAY DIVIDENDS FOR HOUSE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 10, 2008) — Favorite Delta Storm, a $40,000 claim in May at Churchill Downs, won for the third time in seven starts for owner Michael House, posting a one-length triumph under jockey Aaron Gryder in Wednesday’s $48,000 allowance/claiming feature at Hollywood Park.

Third in the Grade III Hollywood Turf Express one start earlier, Delta Storm stalked pacesetter Hewitts before taking command in mid-stretch while covering six furlongs on the Lakeside Turf Course in 1:08.12. He was the lone horse entered for the $100,000 claiming tag, but there were no takers.

PAMONA BALL SEEKS THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY IN HOLLYWOOD STARLET

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 10, 2008) — Darley Stable’s Pamona Ball will take a big step up in class as she aims for her third consecutive victory and her first graded stakes win in Saturday’s $429,500 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park.

Pamona Ball, trained by Eoin Harty, followed up a maiden win in October by rallying to score a one-length victory over Toro Bonito in the Sharp Cat Stakes here in November. Both were run at the Starlet distance of 1 1/16 miles.

HP Stable Notes: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008

"PAMONA BALL ARRIVES FOR $421,500 HOLLYWOOD STARLET

Pamona Ball, winner of the Sharp Cat Stakes here in her last start Nov. 1, jogged Wednesday at Hollywood Park for Saturday’s $421,500, Grade I Hollywood Starlet after being shipped across town Tuesday from Santa Anita by trainer Eoin Harty. She was scheduled to school in the paddock this afternoon, according to assistant Brian Ange.

Pamona Ball relegated two Bob Baffert-trained starters to runner-up status in the Sharp Cat, and Harty hopes for similar results when Pamona Ball lines up against two starters for his former boss in addition to four other formidable foes in the Starlet.

Monday, December 08 2008

BRIECAT SCORES FRONT-RUNNING WIN UNDER COURT IN BAYAKOA

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2008) — Briecat, a two-time stakes winner in Arizona, upstaged a group of older and more accomplished fillies and mares with a front-running victory in Sunday’s $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap under jockey Jon Court at Hollywood Park.

The 3-year-old chestnut, challenged briefly by even-money favorite Model turning into the stretch, drew away with ease en route to a 2 ¼-length victory in stakes record time of 1:40.38 for 1 1/16 miles. At odds of 13-1 as the fifth choice in the field of seven, she set the stage for a Pick Six carryover of $146,154 while winning her third consecutive start.