Hollywood Park Spring 2005

Who's The Man? Lava Man! by Emily Hufford

Lava Man After the Hollywood Gold Cup © Patty Yount 2005

This year's subpar but well matched Hollywood Gold Cup field drew raves (a ten horse field!) and boos (none of the horses had won a grade one) at the same time. Most of the attention was focussed on Todd Pletcher's four-year-old star Limehouse, who was coming off two stakes wins in the last two months. Unusually, though, Limehouse was nervous and acted up before the race, rearing several times and fussing when saddled. Richard Mandella's Congrats drew a lot of attention as well, looking on the muscle and ready to roll.

Many had forgotten the impressive effort by Lava Man in the Californian at Hollywood Park in June. The colt, once a claimer, had been thriving under attention from trainer Doug O'Neil and was blossoming at the right time. He went into the Gold Cup as an unknown on the national scene, and left with an explosion.

When Lava Man came down the stretch, his lead widening to over eight lengths, the crowd roared with either surprise or thrill. The dark bay four-year-old son of Slew City Slew flashed under the wire in good time, far away from his closest competitors; Borrego who finished second, and Congrats who finished third. Lava Man will now be pointed for the Pacific Classic. He was ridden to victory by Patrick Valenzuela.

Surf Cat (yellow blinkers) On His Way to Victory in the Swaps © Patty Yount 2005

Alphabet Kisses © Patty Yount 2005

Limehouse © Amelia Baldree 2004

Limehouse Headlines Gold Cup by Emily Hufford Multiple graded stakes winner Limehouse headlines a diverse field in Saturday's Hollywood Gold Cup, which will be run on a strong program that also features the Swaps Stakes, highlighted by three-year-old star Don't Get Mad. A field of ten is entered for the Gold Cup, and the race also includes such horses as Lava Man, winner of the Californian; Musique Toujours, winner of the Sunshine Millions Classic; and Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Congrats. Todd Pletcher trains Limehouse, a son of Grand Slam, won the Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont in his last start, and is seven for seventeen lifetime, with twelve on the board finishes in his career, and a fourth place finish in last year's Kentucky Derby next to his name. The popular colt is owned by Dogwood Stable.

Cesario Wins the American Oaks
by Emily Hufford

Cesario Wins the American Oaks © Patty Yount 2005

Japanese Filly Cesario Before the American Oaks © Emily Hufford 2005

Cesario made a historic impression on the United States in her short visit to America by winning the fourth American Oaks at Hollywood Park on July 3. She didn't just win, she dominated, blowing away to a four length victory over the previously undefeated Melhor Ainda. Cesario was the first Japanese-bred and based horse to win in America.

The incredible day of racing at Hollywood Park also featured Unfurl the Flag winning the Triple Bend Handicap (gr. I) over top sprinters like McCann's Mojave. Also on the card, three-year-old Splendid Blendid fought off challenges from top older mares Andujar, Island Fashion, and Hollywood Story to win the Grade One Vanity Handicap over 1 1/8 miles. Neil Drysdale trains the filly, who won the Hollywood Starlet in December over the track.

Unfurl the Flag Wins the Triple Bend © Patty Yount 2005

Splendid Blendid (center) Takes the Vanity © Patty Yount 2005

Whilly Sticks His Neck in Front © Patty Yount 2005

Whilly won the American Invitational Handicap for older horses on the turf over a field that included the hard knocking cast of King of Hapiness and Fast and Furious. The brilliant Bobby Frankel-trained turf mare Intercontinental won the Royal Heroine Stakes later on the card.

Intercontinental (Outside) Charges To the Lead © Patty Yount 2005

Continental Red (1, on rail) Ends a Long Losing Streak © Patty Yount 2005

Intense Weekend of Action at Hollywood Park
by Emily Hufford

There were several major stakes races at Hollywood Park last weekend, and yet the most sentimental victory for some came when Continental Red, a warrior-type of gelding, won the Quicken Tree Stakes for his first victory since the 2003 running of the same race. The nine-year-old, a fan favorite, has often seemed well past his prime, but a determined and even spectacular effort over second-place runner Perfect Mode and third place finisher Running Free has altered that notion. Continental Red, who is trained by Antonio Gonzalez, opened up in the stretch to win by five lengths as the favorite.

Indian Ocean Wins the Affirmed © Patty Yount 2005

Talented What A Song (outside) Breaks His Maiden © Patty Yount 2005

Three-year-old Indian Ocean sprang a mild upset when he won the Affirmed Handicap by a neck over favored Surf Cat. Buzzard's Bay, this year's Santa Anita Derby winner, finished last of the four horses who ran. Indian Ocean is trained by Jay Robbins, who won the 2000 Affirmed Handicap with Tiznow, and was ridden by Jon Court.

Bob Baffert's $1.9 million two-year-old What a Song made his debut a winning one, bursting clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths as the favorite in a maiden race on the undercard. He is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis and is extremely flashy to look at.

Lava Man (right) Wins the Californian © Patty Yount 2005

Doug O'Neill stole the show yet again with Lava Man in the Californian, a prep for the Hollywood Gold Cup. The former claimer paid $19.40 to win over Anziyan Royalty. The top two betting choices, Borrego and Choctaw Nation, finished fourth and fifth in the 1 1/8 mile contest. Lava Man, a four-year-old son of Slew City Slew, was ridden by Pat Valenzuela.

McCann's Mojave Wins at Hollywood © Patty Yount 2005

Sweet Return Takes the Charles Whittingham © Patty Yount 2005

Three Degrees Heads to the Track © Emily Hufford 2005

Three Degrees Impressively by Emily Hufford The Irish-bred three-year-old filly Three Degrees braved a deep and talented field of fellow sophomore fillies in the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap and came out on top. The turf race, a stepping stone to the American Oaks run at Hollywood Park in July, featured such horses as Berbatim, Royal Copenhagen, and Thatswhatimean, who finished second, a length behind Three Degrees. All was not well in the race, however. Coming out of the gate, Berbatim stumbled badly, and jockey Alex Solis lost his irons. The filly was one of the top contenders in the race, but bore out and was pulled up by Solis, who was escorted off the track by an outrider. Both jockey and horse were declared fine after the incident. Isla Cozzene finished third and Singhalese was fourth. Three Degrees was ridden by Gary Stevens and is trained by Patrick Gallagher. She paid $6.00 to win as the favorite.

Puxa Saco Before the Desert Stormer © Emily Hufford 2005

Puxa Saco Runs Like a Favorite Should by Emily Hufford Trainer Jenine Sahadi gently took Puxa Saco's head in her hands, and ran her fingers along the chestnut mare's cheeks. After resting her cheek upon the horse's forehead, Sahadi massaged her horse's ears, and Puxa Saco relaxed and looked almost asleep. That was until Abounding Truth reared sharply in the air for a second time, sending her handlers scattering for cover. Puxa Saco attempted to emulate Abounding Truth by kicking up her own heels a little bit, then she settled down and relaxed as before. Fifteen minutes later, heavy favorite Puxa Saco romped to victory in the Desert Stormer Handicap (gr. III), finishing three lengths in front of the closing Tucked Away. She returned to the winner's circle under jockey Mike Smith after having captured her sixth victory in twenty starts. Ramatuelle finished second, and Abounding Truth and Quick Cover rounded out the field. Richard Rowan owns Puxa Saco, who stopped the clock in 1:09.79 for six furlongs on the dirt. She had previously finished third in the Humana Distaff (gr. I) at Churchill Downs.

Castledale (red) Storms by Singletary (orange) © Patty Yount 2005

Castledale Gets Another Grade One
by Emily Hufford

2004 Santa Anita Derby (Gr. I) winner Castledale (IRE), a Jeff Mullins-trainee who was always considered to be better on the grass, scored another Grade One win on Monday, this time in the Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park. The bay son of Peintre Celebre scored by a half length over King of Happiness, with Fast and Furious another three lengths back in third. 2004 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Singletary finished fourth.

Rene Douglass rode the winner for Frank Lyons and Greg Knee. Castledale paid $11.20 to win. The trifecta was worth $267.90.

Mea Domina Before the Gamely © Emily Hufford 2005

Mea Domina Gives McAnally 1 - 2 Punch by Emily Hufford Mea Domina was full of nervous energy in the paddock while preparing for the Gamely Handicap (Gr I) at Hollywood Park on Monday. She threw her head and fussed and stable employees attempted to keep her as quiet as possible. Stablemate Solar Echo, on the other hand, was quiet, calm, and the picture of a professional racehorse. They finished 1 - 2 in the Gamely for trainer Ron McAnally. Mea Domina is the younger of the two; a four-year-old daughter of Dance Brightly. Solar Echo, a five-year-old gray mare, finished in front of Julio Canani's Amorama. The talented Island Fashion finished eighth of nine, and the top-class mare Miss Terrible (ARG) finished fifth. Tyler Baze rode the winner, who is out of the Wild Again mare Madame Pandit, who was a stakes mare herself, while running at Hollywood Park.

El Roblar, 2 for 2 After Win at Hollywood Park © Emily Hufford 2005

Island Fashion © Emily Hufford 2005

Hollywood Stakes Action Heats Up by Emily Hufford As per usual, the Memorial Day Weekend card at Hollywood Park is top quality. Saturday features the Grade 3 Will Rogers Stakes, a turf contest for three-year-old colts. Eastern Sand, Osidy, and Texcess highlight the field. Sunday's feature, the listed Manhattan Beach Stakes, has a deep field of well-matched runners, including Brooke's Halo and Kohar. However, the best day of the long weekend is certainly Monday. A top gray mare, Island Fashion, will meet up with the "lightning in a bottle" type Solar Echo, another gray, in the Grade 1 Gamely Handicap, a $350,000 race that lost much of its luster when trainer Bobby Frankel withdrew top mare Megahertz due to the weight assignments. Miss Terrible enters the race coming off a win at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Before that race, 2004 Breeders' Cup Mile winner Singletary will take on 2004 Santa Anita Derby winner Castledale and the brilliant and consistent Special Ring in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile. That race comes just a half hour after El Roblar, one of the most talked-about three-year-olds this spring who never fulfilled the hype, will attempt to conquer a seven furlong allowance race.