Hollywood Park Archives
Chandtrue Earns a Sweep
byEmily Hufford
Chandtrue, who had dominated each of his three previous starts, kept his win streak alive in Saturday's Hollywood Juvenile Championship (gr. III) with an easy 1/2 length win over Actxecutive. Chandtrue was never really pushed and looked ultra impressive in the win.
Actxecutive, who had run very greenly in his stakes debut last out to finish fourth behind Chandtrue, was game in his own right, fighting on to the end after leading throughout. The pair of juvenile colts finished seven lengths ahead of first time starter Commandant.
Chandtrue is a son of Is It True and is trained by Bob Hess, Jr. Victor Espinoza was aloft for the win. With the victory, Chandtrue swept the three Hollywood Park juvenile stakes, including the Haggin Stakes and the Willard L. Proctor Memorial Stakes.
 Roman Ruler Before a Winning Debut © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Roman Ruler Out, Chandtrue In
Roman Ruler, who dominated a maiden race at Hollywood Park in June, popped an abscess on Wednesday morning and will not be entered for Saturday's Juvenile Championship Stakes at Hollywood Park. His defection prompted the connections of undefeated juvenile sensation Chandtrue to commit to the six furlong race. Roman Ruler is by Fusaichi Pegasus and out of Silvery Swan, making him a half brother to multiple graded stakes winner El Corredor. He is trained by Bob Baffert. Others expected to start in the Juvenile Championship are Great Power, Actxecutive, Gentleman Count, and Commandant. Actxecutive is also trained by Baffert. |
 Star Parade at Santa Anita © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Star Parade Has It Her Way Star Parade, a big dark Argentinian mare, won her second grade one race this year when she took the Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on Sunday. She led through easy fractions before allowing Quero Quero to catch up, then when Pesci ranged up around the far turn, Star Parade burst clear, winning by 3 1/2 lengths. Quero Quero finished second and Pesci ran third. Victory Encounter, who upset Star Parade in the Vanity Handicap (gr. I), only mildly challenged and finished fourth. Tangle rounded out the field. Star Parade is a five-year-old daughter of Parade Marshall. She is owned by Gary Tanka and trained by Darrell Vienna. Victor Espinoza was up for the win. The win was Star Parade's sixth in seventeen starts. |
 Rock Hard Ten After the Swaps © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Rock Hard Ten Scores A cheer went up from the crowd when the towering Rock Hard Ten entered the starting gate at Hollywood Park for the Swaps Stakes (gr. II). The giant dark bay colt has been known for his antics at the gate, and starter Gary Brinson has worked with him daily to help the colt relax. Brinson himself led the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) runner-up into the gate. Nerves were rattled when Eion Harty's Brands Hatch lost his bridle behind the gate, but Rock Hard Ten stayed calm, only shifting about slightly and leaning on the assistant starter. The bridle was replaced and Brands Hatch was loaded. |
Once the gates opened, the race was Rock Hard Ten's to lose. The heavy favorite in a field of six, Rock Hard Ten cruised on the outside of second choice Boomzeeboom throughout, in the clear and running easily. The fractions were quick, 1:10.55 for six furlongs in 1:34.62 for the mile. Rock Hard Ten boldly took the lead into the stretch and drew clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths, despite weaving slightly in the stretch.
Suave, who won the Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs, finished second, three lengths in front of Boomzeeboom. Capitano was fourth.
Rock Hard Ten is trained by Jason Orman and owned by the Mercedes Stable LLC and Madeline Paulson. He is a son of Kris S. The Swaps Stakes was his first stakes win. He now has three wins in six starts.
Total Impact After the Hollywood Gold Cup ©
Emily Hufford 2004
Total Impact Gets a Big One
by Emily Hufford
Total Impact (Chi), a six-year-old son of Stuka, won what many believe to be one of the weakest Hollywood Gold Cups (gr. I) ever, but instead of being remembered as the $750,000 race that could have been between Southern Image and Pleasantly Perfect, and maybe even Congaree and Medaglia d'Oro (both now retired), it should be remembered as the race where Total Impact finally scored in a big American race.
A champion juvenile in his native Chilie in 2001, Total Impact was sent to America and in 2003 won the Mervyn Leroy Handicap, but hadn't won since that race, finishing second several times. Even the Score, a son of Unbridled's Song, appeared to be a lock in the race, having defeated many of the starters already in this year's Mervyn Leroy and California Handicaps. He could do no better than third, losing second by a 1/2 length to Olmodavor.
Total Impact was ridden by Mike Smith and is trained by Laura de Seroux, who didn't actually come to the racetrack for the race because she believed Total Impact would lose to Even the Score. It was Total Impact's fifth lifetime win, pushing his earnings to $1,159,568.
Dreams of An Upset Dream of Summer upset the field for the A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Hollywood Park when she led from start to finish and won by 3 1/2 lengths. The five-year-old daughter of Siberian Summer is trained by Jaun Garcia and was ridden by Mike Smith. She paid $20.60 to win. Grade-one winner Elloluv, returning to the track for the first time this year, finished sixth. Tucked Away finished second and Elusive Diva ran third. |
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Rock Hard Ten Aims For First Stakes
Victory in Swaps The giant of a racehorse, Rock Hard Ten, will make his first start since the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on Saturday in the Swaps Stakes (gr. II) at Hollywood Park. He could go favored in the short field of six competitors and will be ridden by Corey Nakatani for the first time. Jason Orman trains the son of Kris S, who finished second in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) behind Smarty Jones, but fifth in the Belmont. Rock Hard Ten has two wins in five starts and $377,600 to his name. Other challengers include Northern Dancer Stakes winner Suave and Affirmed Handicap hero Boomzeeboom. |
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Bayamo Wins on July 4th Bayamo (Ire), a five-year-old gelding, scored another turf stakes win for trainer Julio Canani, who seems to specialize in such events. The son of the Irish stallion Valanour won the American Handicap (gr. II) at Hollywood Park on Independence Day. Owned by Prestonwood Farm, Bayamo was the favorite. The old campaigner Sarafan finished second, 4 1/2 lengths behind Bayamo, and Night Patrol was third. Black Bart, who won the Quicken Tree Stakes over the course in June, finished fourth. The American Handicap is run over 1 1/8 miles on the turf and Bayamo stopped the clock in 1:46.60. He is out of the Little Current mare Clare Bridge and was ridden in the race by jockey David Flores. |
Ticker Tape Takes It Home
for America Ticker Tape, a three-year-old British-bred filly, won the 3rd running of the American Oaks (gr. I) at Hollywood Park on Saturday. The American-based filly is trained by James Cassidy and was ridden by Kent Desormeaux. The Japanese star Dance in the Mood was second, American Hollywood Story was third. Ticker Tape now has five wins in fourteen starts and boasts earnings of $717,426. The filly is a daughter of Royal Applause and is out of the Silver Hawk mare Argent Du Bois. The mile and a quarter was run in 2:01.54. Western Hemisphere, the California-bred sister to General Challenge, set the pace while Dance in the Mood struggled for position on her inside. Ticker Tape, who stalked the pace early, exploded in dramatic fashion coming off the turn and simply drew away to win by a length over Dance in the Mood, who never gave up throughout. Photos of the American Oaks can be viewed here. |
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Pohave Gets His Grade One The sprinter Pohave has finally broken through, capturing his first grade one victory with a 3/4 length win in the Triple Bend Breeders' Cup Invitational Handicap (gr. I). The son of Holy Bull stalked a quick pace (the half went in :44.01) set by the dueling Smile N Wildcat and Rojo Toro, then pounced three wide down the stretch to nail his fifth victory in twenty-five starts. Pohave has just recently come into his own. He is trained by Doug O'Neill, who was planning on shipping the six-year-old gelding to Calder for the Summit of Speed next weekend, but instead decided to stay home when the top-notch runners Speightstown, Lion Tamer, and Pico Central dropped out. Pohave was ridden by Victor Espinoza and paid $6.60 to win as the favorite. The final time in the seven furlong contest was 1:21.06. The Bob Baffert-trained longshot Rojo Toro finished second, a half length in front of Revello. Pohave is out of the Alydar mare Trail Robbery, who is a half sister to Train Robbery, dam of 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Cat Thief. |
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Janeian Wins the Royal Heroine
Second choice in a field of six, Janeian took the lead at the top of the stretch and kept going to score by two lengths in the Royal Heroine Stakes (gr. III) at Hollywood Park. The New Zealand-bred daughter of The Jogger defeated favorite Katdogawn and Makeup Artist to notch her ninth win in thirty-two starts, sixteen of those coming in her native country. Janeian was ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who guided her to the lead with a furlong to go. She is trained by Bret Calhoun and owned by Greg England. Janeian has now earned $341,114. |
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Miss Vegas Wins Easily Three-year-old Miss Vegas (IRE) was not invited to run in the American Oaks, but she made a win in the Flawlessly Stakes look easy, scoring by five lengths and running one mile in 1:34.78. The bay daughter of Efisio is trained by Bobby Frankel and owned by Edmund Gann. Alex Solis was the winning jockey. Five Nickles finished second, a head in front of Shake Off for third. Dewey's Trick was scratched from the race. |
Chandtrue Awesome in Haggin
By Emily Hufford
Chandtrue, a two-year-old son of Yes It's True, was visually very impressive
in the Haggin Stakes at Hollywood Park on June 20th. He rallied around
the frontrunners on the far turn and drew away to a seven length victory,
a large margin for a 5 1/2 furlong race. Chandtrue now has three wins
in three starts by a combined 15 1/2 lengths.
Corey Nakatani was the winning jockey for trainer Bob Hess, Jr. Chandtrue is out of the Crafty Prospector mare Chandelle. The heavily favored Actxecutive ran very greenly up the backstretch but ran on to be fourth in a six horse field.
 Boomzeeboom Before the Affirmed Handicap © Emily Hufford 2004 |
"It's Boom-Zee-Boom!" By Emily Hufford So cried announcer Vic Stauffer as Boomzeeboom edged away in the final strides to hit the wire in front of his stablemate, Twice As Bad. The two had gutted out an intense stretch drive and Boomzeeboom would be the winner by a half length. Despite an impressive winter campaign, the three-year-old son of Explosive Red was dismissed at odds of 12 - 1, resulting in a $27.20 win payoff. It was a Vladimir Cerin exacta. Twice As Bad, coming off a score in the Lazaro Barrera Stakes, was the second choice in the wagering. The flashy gray took the lead from Boomzeeboom after making a move around the turn, but was simply outgamed by his stablemate in the final strides. Boomzeeboom was good enough earlier this year to be considered for the spring classics. After two wins at Santa Anita this winter, he was taken to Keeneland for the Lexington Stakes (gr. II) but finished off the board behind another California shipper, Quintons Gold Rush. He returned to Hollywood Park to run off the board again in the Will Rogers Stakes, which is run on the turf. Back on the dirt in California, Boomzeeboom is a force to be reckoned with. Thoroughbred Times reports that both horses may run next in the Swaps Stakes (gr. II).
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 House of Fortune Before the Hollywood Oaks © Emily Hufford 2004 |
House of Fortune Wins the Hollywood
Oaks By Emily Hufford Looking as if she'd grown a bit in the last month, House of Fortune, a three-year-old daughter of Free House, won the Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (gr II) impressively on Saturday. The dark bay filly was returning to California after a brief stint on the East Coast, where she won the Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) and was a dismal eighth in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) over a muddy track. Ridden by Alex Solis, House of Fortune dueled briefly with the quick Elusive Diva, then reclaimed the lead and pulled away to the wire to win by three lengths. Hollywood Story, who won the Hollywood Starlet here last winter, ran on to be third. The talented Class Above faded to last in a five horse field. House of Fortune has six wins in ten starts and earnings over half a million. She is owned by Arnold Zetcher and trained by Ron McAnally. |
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Even Scores in the
Californian Always talented, Even the Score has recently come into his own. After stints on turf and on the East Coast, the six-year-old gray has found a home in California, winning two stakes races in a row for new trainer Vladimir Cerin. The Californian Stakes (gr. II) was a very race, as Even the Score flew by the front runners, took the lead, and drew away with authority, winning by 3 1/2 lengths. Last month he won the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap over the same racetrack. The field was full with talent, with such horses as Ender's Shadow, Nose the Trade, and the popular Buckland Manor going postward. Total Impact, a Chilean champion in 2001, finished second. Fonz's was scratched. By Unbridled's Song, Even the Score was ridden by David Flores. He paid $3.80 to win as the favorite, and is owned by Rosendo Parra. |
Sabiango Gives Baffert a Turf Double
by Emily Hufford
Sabiango Before the Charles Whittingham
© Emily Hufford 2004
Sabiango (GER), a six-year-old German-bred son of Acatenango (GER), won his first stakes race in North America with a victory in the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap, a grade one race run over 1 1/4 miles on the turf at Hollywood Park. The powerful looking chestnut is trained by Bob Baffert, who is not known for his ability to train turf horses but scored two graded turf victories this weekend, the other coming with Senor Swinger. Sabiango is owned by the well-known "horse whisperer" Monty Roberts.
The filly Musical Chimes finished seventh, favored Continuously ran sixth, and California-bred millionaire Continental Red finished fifth. The race was not without incident, however, as the consistent stakes winner Irish Warrior pulled up in the stretch due to a suspensory injury, and may be retired.
Sabiango shocked, paying $28.80 to win, and ran the mile and a quarter in 2:01.52, a very good final time for a race that had opening fractions of :25.4, :50.3, and 1:15.1. Sabiango is a half brother to 2001 Arlington Million (gr. I) winner Silvano.
 Taste of Paradise Before the Ack Ack © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Taste of Paradise Defeats Buddy
Gil Five-year-old Taste of Paradise, a son of Conquistador Cielo, won the Ack Ack Handicap (gr. III) at Hollywood Park on Monday. The tall dark bay horse is trained by Molly Pearson and owned by David Bloom. Buddy Gil, the 2003 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner, was the favorite, but finished second by 3/4 of a length. He simply could not outrun Taste of Paradise. Black Bart was third, Top Hit fourth, and the popular late-running sprinter Grey Memo was fifth. |
 Designed For Luck Before the Shoemaker © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Tough Designed For Luck Wins Shoemaker
Mile Designed for Luck is one of the toughest horses on the California racing circuit. The seven-year-old gelding took the lead at the top of the stretch in the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. I) and fought off the challenges of Singletary and Tsigane to win by 1 1/2 lengths. Favored Sweet Return finished fifth. Designed for Luck also won the Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile last year. He now has ten wins in twenty six starts. The son of Rahy is trained by Vladimir Cerin and owned by Holly and David Wilson. He paid $13.80 to win. Leroidesanimaux, who figured to be one of the top contenders, was scratched Sunday by trainer Bobby Frankel. The Memorial Day crowd at Hollywood Park totalled 17,796. |
Noches De Rosa Upsets Megahertz Noches de Rosa, a six-year-old mare, won the 2004 edition of the Gamely Handicap (gr. I) on the turf at Hollywood Park on Monday. The Chilean-bred daughter of Stagecraft paid $8.60 to win for trainer Richard Mandella and jockey Mike Smith. Ironically, Smith was supposed to be in New York to ride champion Azeri in the Met Mile, but was replaced with Pat Day. Azeri ended up running second last in a field of nine. Race favorite Megahertz dropped fifteen lengths behind a slow pace and appeared to be completely out of the race before powering to an impressive second place finish, only a length behind the winner. Second choice Dimitrova, the winner of last year's American Oaks, finished fourth and last. Quero Quero was third Noches de Rosa is owned by Diamond A Racing Corporation. |
 Noches De Rosa Before the Gamely © Emily Hufford 2004 |
Two Grand Geldings Will Go Head to Head
Saturday at Hollywood
by Emily Hufford
Two nine-year-old geldings, F J's Pace and Full Moon Madness, will go head and head in the third race at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Combined the two have thirty-three wins in 101 starts. Full Moon Madness will run for an $80,000 claiming tag, as he has been plagued by serious injuries throughout his career. He is a stakes winner, and his resume includes the California Cup Sprint.
F J's Pace was one of Bob Baffert's Kentucky Derby hopefuls back in 1998, but now the old gelding has made a name for himself winning sprint races for trainer Doug O'Neill.
Also in the race is the speedy King Robyn, one of last year's top sprinters, who is making his comeback as well. He is a four year old gelding with five wins over the Hollywood turf course in five tries. He is likely to be the favorite.
 F J's Pace © Dave Shields 2003 |
 Full Moon Madness © Emily Hufford 2003 |
Another interesting horse to watch at Hollywood Park is Choctaw Nation in the fifth race on Friday night. The four-year-old gelding is unbeaten in three starts and has a breathtaking move around the far turn, coming from dead last every time. He is trained by Jeff Mullins.
Victory Encounter Shocks
by Emily Hufford
The grade one Vainty Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday was a showcase of two of the top mares in the country; Adoration, last year's Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) winner, and Star Parade, the brilliant Argentinian mare who has beaten her twice. In three prior matches the two have hooked up, with Star Parade holding the edge with two wins, and Adoration getting the better of her last time in the Santa Margarita (gr. I).
The two mares hooked up early, dueling head and head through fractions of :23.51, :46.26, and 1:09.76, with Hope Rises chasing in third and Victory Encounter strolling along last by almost eleven lengths. Suddenly, Victory Encounter decided it was time to turn on the heat.
Skimming the rail in a beautiful ride by jockey Alex Solis, Victory Encounter ate up ground while Adoration hooked Star Parade wide into the stretch in a great display of race riding by Mike Smith. All of the sudden, Victory Encounter burst through the opening along the rail to take command and draw clear, winning by 2 1/2 lengths. Adoration finished second, Star Parade third, and Hope Rises was last. Two horses, Beaucette and Coconut Girl, were scratched.
Victory Encounter also won the El Encino Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita over the winter. She is owned by Tom Mankiewicz and trained by John Sadler. She recieved a rousing ovation upon her return to the winner's circle, perhaps in part because she paid $16.60 to win.
