Saturday (12-13-08) Hollywood Park recap
Early/pressing types dominated on both surfaces.
Hat trick for Joel Rosario.
Laragh grabbed the early lead as expected. She turned back a few backstretch challengers before gamely prevailing by a length in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet. Edgar Prado rode the turf/synthetic specialist for John Terranova II.
Sunday (12-14-08) Hollywood Park preview
Sunday’s 9-race card features the $75k On Trust Handicap, to be contested at the unusual distance of seven and one-half furlongs on Cushion Track. Likely favorite Dancing in Silks was last seen finishing 2nd behind Into Mischief in the Damascus at Oak Tree.
The …read more

Friday (12-12-08) Hollywood Park recap
Edge to early/pressing types on Cushion Track. Turf course favored stalkers.
Hat trick for Rafael Bejarano. Martin Garcia booted home a pair, and Doug O’Neill saddled two winners on the card.
Informed (Gryder/O’Neill) came again to gamely nab the optional claiming Cushion Track feature by 1/12 lengths. The son of Tiznow ran 8.5f in 1:41.53 and paid $7.00 as the 2nd betting choice.

Saturday (12-13-08) Hollywood Park preview
Saturday’s 10-race card features the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet and includes a Pick 6 carryover of $85,503.
Laragh is the one to catch and beat in the …read more

Thursday (12-11-08) Hollywood Park recap
Edge to stalking types on Cushion Track. The lone turf race carded was won by an off the pace type.
Joel Rosario and Joe Talamo both booted home a pair.
Serra Song got the job done by a head as the even money fav in the feature race for the profitable Espinoza/Mandella team. Lucky Honey (Bejarano/Mitchell) ran too good to lose while well clear of the rest.

Friday (12-12-08) Hollywood Park preview
Friday’s 8-race card includes a trio of turf races. The optional claiming Cushion Track feature is lead by 2-1 fav Limestone Edge (Kent D/Hess).
The 4th …read more

Wednesday (12-10-08) Hollywood Park recap
Edge to early/pressing types on Cushion Track. Both turf sprints were taken by stalkers.
Joel Rosario booted home a pair.
Delta Storm (Gryder/Mitchell) dropped out of the stakes ranks and found the winners’ circle in the optional claiming turf sprint feature.
Thursday (12-11-08) Hollywood Park preview
Wednesday’s 8-race card includes seven Cushion Track events and decent field sizes. The 2nd race, a straight maiden turf route, is the lone grass race carded.
The 4th race, a starter allowance route, is featured below.

Hollywood Park race 4 (Str-Alw, 2yo fil, 6.5f)
(1) Forty Dates (2-1) – Second in …read more

Sunday (12-07-08) Hollywood Park recap
Early/pressing types dominated on Cushion Track. A pair of wire jobs in the four turf races carded.
Hat trick for Rafael Bejarano (2 turf wins), and Michael Baze booted home a pair on the turf.
Figeac blew the first turn in the grassy 2nd. She opened up a huge lead down the backside and gamely held the place behind runaway chalky winner Cavanal.
Briecat (Court/Cerin) never looked back in a sharp victory over fav Model in the 27th Bayakoa Handicap. The wire job winner paid $28.80.

Wednesday (12-10-08) Hollywood Park preview
Wednesday’s 8-race card features …read more

Saturday (12-06-08) Hollywood Park recap
Both surfaces seemed to play fair.
Five wins for the resurgent Joel Rosario, including a pair with trainer Doug O’Neill. Victor Espinoza/Richard Mandella teamed up for two wins on the card.
Slew’s Tizzy (Rosario/O’Neill) sat the right tracking trip en route to a solid tally over Past the Point in the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap. Ball Four set the pace and finished 3rd in a race dominated by the top three all the way around the oval.
Champs Elysees (Valdivia/Frankel) caught a very soft field and landed a grade one victory in the Hollywood …read more

Friday (12-05-08) Hollywood Park recap
Early/pressing types dominated on Cushion Track. Turf course played fair.
A pair of wins for hustling jockey Clinton Potts.
Banner Lodge (Mike Smith/John Sadler) pulled off a sharp wire job over rallying Mike Mitchell returnee Valid Mecke (troubled start) in the turf sprint feature.
Saturday (12-06-08) Hollywood Park preview
Saturday’s 9-race card features a pair of graded stakes, the Native Diver Handicap (G3), and the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1). Note that I have included a YouTube replay (Secretariat Stakes) of Hollywood Turf Cup contender Winchester.
The 5th race, a claiming turf route, is …read more

Thursday (12-04-08) Hollywood Park recap
No wire jobs on Cushion Track. Turf course favored early/pressing speed.
David Flores booted home a pair.
Flashmans Papers (GB) needed every bit of his pace advantage and ground saving inside trip to nostilized wide off the pace classy returning fav Kelly Leak.
Kbello stole the flat mile turf feature, as the stretch out sprinter held on by a nose over stalking fav and recent grad Gooch’s Dream.
Friday (12-05-08) Hollywood Park preview
Friday’s 8-race card features a trio of turf races, and note that speed has been winning at a better than average clip on the …read more

Wednesday (12-03-08) Hollywood Park recap

Edge to early/pressing types and especially stalkers on the Cushion Track surface. Turf course played fair.
Joe Talamo booted home a pair.
Porto Santo (FR) got back on the beam in the grassy 4th, and he was surely helped by the scratch of Liberian Freighter.
Belmont Cat (NZ) was always traveling well en route to a smart one-length tally under Mike Smith in the turf feature. John Sadler has yet another talented runner in his barn.
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Thursday (12-04-08) Hollywood Park preview

Thursday’s 8-race card features a Pick 6 (races 3-8) carryover of …read more

Sunday (11-30-08) Hollywood Park recap

Five wire jobs on a speed favoring Cushion Track surface. Turf course played fair.
Outstanding turf rider Ramon Dominguez brought home both Grade 1’s. Tyler Baze booted home a pair. Paulo Lobo saddled two winners on the card, including Kentucky Derby also-ran Gayego, who appears headed to the Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita on Dec. 26th.
Chilean bred Cocoa Beach, runner up to Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, ran down Robert Frankel’s lone speedster Precious Kitten in the grassy flat mile Matriarch (G1). Frankel also landed the show with Visit-GB.
Court Vision (YouTube replay …read more