Friday, November 14 2008

ARAMBULA COMPLETES DOUBLE ABOARD BARBER IN FEATURE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2008) — Barber sped to a wire-to-wire victory in the $51,918 allowance/optional claiming feature as apprentice jockey Pedro Arambula completed a double on Thursday at Hollywood Park.

The 5-year-old chestnut gelding was clear at the head of the stretch and finished gamely to hold off favorite Mostacoli Mort by one length while covering 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in 1:41.91.

GOMEZ AIMS FOR THIRD SKIRBALL-KENIS WIN IN FOUR YEARS

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 13, 2008) — Garrett Gomez, rider of two of the last three winners, will aim for his third victory aboard supplemental entry Solar Miss in Saturday’s sixth running of the $65,000-added Audrey Skirball-Kenis Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Gomez, the nation’s Eclipse Award-winning jockey in 2007, matched Jerry Bailey’s 2003 record of 70 stakes wins when he guided Hucking Hot to victory in the Skirball-Kenis a year ago. He also rode Pussycat Doll to victory in 2005.

Thursday, November 13 2008

HP Stable Notes: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008

CANADIAN COLT TO SHIP FOR PREVUE

Congor Bay, unbeaten in two starts at Woodbine, will be flown here for the $100,000-added Hollywood Prevue Stakes for 2-year-olds Nov. 23, trainer Mark Casse said Thursday from Toronto.

“He is going to fly out on the 19th with an assistant,” said Casse, who plans to race in California all winter for the first time.

Congor Bay, a son of Speightstown, broke his maiden by 6 ¾ lengths at first asking at six furlongs Oct. 1 and returned with a two-length score in a 6 ½-furlong allowance race Oct. 26. He is owned by Eugene Melnyk.

Wednesday, November 12 2008

DILEMMA BEATS TALENTED CREW UNDER GOMEZ IN HOLLYPARK FEATURE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 12, 2008) — Glen Hill Farm’s Dilemma overhauled pacesetter Lang Field early in the stretch and held off hard-charging Rush Rush in the final sixteenth to win Wednesday’s $59,800 allowance feature by three-quarters of a length under jockey Garrett Gomez at Hollywood Park.

Dilemma, fifth in the Oak Tree Mile in his previous start, covered 1 1/8 miles on the Lakeside turf Course in 1:48.92 to win for the third time in nine 2008 starts. A slight betting favorite, he paid $7.20, $3.60 and $2.80. Rush Rush, ridden by Victor Espinoza, returned $5.40 and $3.60. The show payoff on Obrigado was $3.40. Lang Field, winner of the 2007 Citation Handicap, faded to fourth in the field of seven older horses.

HP Stable Notes: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008

IRISH TRAINER ARRIVES FOR MOCCASIN

Ger Lyons, who has sent out Pasar Silbano to four victories in six starts in Ireland this year, stood near her stall in Barn 51 South Wednesday morning at Hollywood Park in preparation for her United States debut in the $100,000-added Moccasin Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Sunday.

“She’s part of the family,” said Lyons’ wife, Lynne, as the couple readied to bid the filly adieu after the Moccasin. Pasar Silbano was purchased privately by Kentucky-based Three Chimneys Racing last month and will probably be transferred to locally-based Jim Cassidy after the Moccasin.

Monday, November 10 2008

HIGH HEEL SNEAKERS CRUISES UNDER ESPINOZA IN HERMOSA BEACH

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 9, 2008) — Favorite High Heel Sneakers, given a ground-saving trip by jockey Victor Espinoza, moved off the rail with three furlongs to run and easily out-ran Brushed Gold through the stretch en route to a 2 ¾-length victory in Sunday’s $65,000 Hermosa Beach Handicap at Hollywood Park.

The 5-year-old bay mare — meeting easier competition after a seventh-place finish in the Grade I Yellow Ribbon at Santa Anita Park, covered 1 ½ miles on the Lakeside Turf Course in 2:28.58 while paying $5.60, $3.40 and $2.60. Brushed Gold, ridden by Garrett Gomez, paid $5.40 and $3.40, while the show payoff on second-choice Caprice with Rafael Bejarano up was $2.60.

HP Notes:  Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008

McLAUGHLIN TO RUN PAIR IN TURF FESTIVAL

It will be something old and something new for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin during the Turf Festival Nov. 28-30 at Hollywood Park.

McLaughlin said from New York Sunday veteran Shakis would conclude his racing career in the $400,000 Citation Handicap on Nov. 28, the same afternoon that budding star Hayaba seeks her first stakes victory in the $100,000-added Miesque for 2-year-old fillies.

Shakis, an Irish-bred 8-year-old horse, has won seven of 35 starts and earned $860,532 for owner-breeder Shadwell Farm. A two-time winner of the Grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga, Shakis was a fast-closing second in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland and a troubled 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in his last two starts.

Sunday, November 09 2008

CHOCOLATE CANDY RALLIES UNDER GOMEZ TO WIN REAL QUIET STAKES

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2008) — Chocolate Candy, ridden perfectly by Garrett Gomez, charged to the lead inside the sixteenth pole and went on to a one-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The bay son of Candy Ride covered 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track in a stakes record time of 1:42.25 while paying $15.60, $6.80 and $3.80 as the fourth choice in the field of seven 2-year-olds. The upset helped set up a Pick Six carryover of $112,486 when racing resumes Sunday.

Saturday, November 08 2008

GERMAN-BRED CAPRICE SEEKS FIRST U.S. WIN IN HERMOSA BEACH

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 7, 2008) — German-bred Caprice will carry high weight of 118 pounds as she aims for her first North American victory in a contentious field of nine fillies and mares in the $65,000 Hermosa Beach Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Caprice, based in the East with trainer H. Graham Motion, won at the Hermosa Beach distance of 1½ miles in France last September. The 5-year-old mare, who came to the U.S. for her 2008 campaign, has failed to win but has not missed the board in four starts. Most recently, she finished third in the Dowager Stakes at Keeneland. Prior to that, she was only beaten a neck while finishing second in the Claire Marine at Arlington Park. Both races were on the turf at 1½ miles.

HP Notes: Friday, Nov. 7, 2008

MUNY ON TARGET FOR $500,000 HOLLYWOOD DERBY

Muny, who posted his third straight victory with a front-running effort in the Oak Tree Derby on the Breeders‘ Cup undercard at Santa Anita, is slated to make his next start in the $500,000 Hollywood Derby on Nov. 30, trainer Mike Puype said Friday at Hollywood Park. The Grade I race is at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

“He’s three-for-four,” said Puype of the 3-year-old gelding. “I bet not many horses have won the Oak Tree Derby in only their fourth start. It’s not easy to take on those seasoned horses and carry them wire-to-wire.

Friday, November 07 2008

NEW ZEALAND-BRED MAJESTIC DIAMOND SETS UP $232,349 CARRYOVER

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 6, 2008) — New Zealand-bred Majestic Diamond, the longest shot in the field at odds of 32-1, rallied from sixth at the top of the stretch under jockey Julien Couton to capture Thursday’s $42,000 feature at Hollywood Park, setting up a two-day Pick Six carryover of $232,349.

The 5-year-old, making his U.S. debut, covered six furlongs on the Lakeside Turf Course in 1:08.53 while rewarding backers with payoffs of $69, $19.40 and $10.40. Joe Bravo, a half-length back of the winner with Mike Smith up, paid $6.60 and $3.60. Favorite Banner Lodge, ridden by Garrett Gomez, finished third and returned $3.80.

Thursday, November 06 2008

ESCALON WILL TRY TO REBOUND IN REAL QUIET STAKES

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 6, 2008) — Escalon, third as the favorite in the California Cup Juvenile, will try to make amends in the fourth running of the $100,000 Real Quiet Stakes on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Escalon, who broke his maiden while making his career bow on Aug. 1 at Del Mar, will be starting for the fourth time in the 1 1/16-mile Real Quiet. He finished sixth in the Del Mar Futurity two starts back.