Plenty of catching up to do. Note that I will be covering the June 9 Belmont Park pick six carryover ($930,495) right here on the blog, so please check back early next week for analysis and tickets. I will also update my Triple Crown Top 10 list on Tuesday, but now it’s time to recap the Fri-Sat races from Hollywood and preview the Sunday program…
Friday (6-4-10) Hollywood Park Recap
Edge to early-pressing types (2 wire jobs) on Cushion Track. Stalkers and closers best on turf.
Felipe Valdez booted home a pair.
I have always liked It Tiz but she jumped up and bit me on Friday night. I thought the promising daughter of Tiznow might need the outing but Mark Glatt her her ready to roll on the turf in her first start since December ’09. My 4-1 value top Lilly Fa Pootz finished a 1/2 length back in second and disappointing favorite Welken missed the show by a nose.
My value top Sweet Hanni got up to beat overbet favorite Sister Dawn in the 7th, an Allowance turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies.
For the record, my suggested pick six tickets yielded four wins and two 2nds. Don’t you hate that?
Acclamation is the new speed star of the Southern California male Graded turf division - photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Saturday (6-5-10) Hollywood Park Recap
Since it was Belmont Stakes Day I thought I would cover the Hollywood Pick 6 even though there was no carryover. Busy day for me as I sold full cards from Belmont and Monmouth as well and had a productive day at both venues.
Cushion Track seemed to play fair but note that there was another wire job at the speed friendly distance of 8.5f. A trio of wire jobs in the four turf races carded.
Hat trick for Tyler Baze. Bejarano and Santiago-Reyes both booted home a pair.
The Redondo Beach Stakes was reduced to five after scratches. My top choice Turning Top was the only non-wire job turf winner on the day as she came again and gradually wore down pacesetter Rosey De Megeve.
It is great to see Cost of Freedom back on the beam. He captured his second straight outing with a wire job tally in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap. My top selection M One Rifle finished a disappointing 4th. He seems best at seven furlongs and is not on top of his game presently.
Acclamation has morphed into Presious Passion. He was aggressively handled in a facile Jim Murray turf marathon wire job and Santiago-Reyes went back to those successful tactics in the Grade 1 Whittingham Memorial. He did not roll by open lengths but he was always in command and took the late-runners out of the race. My top choice and favorite Loup Breton finished an even 4th. He is most effective in an even paced, tightly packed, European-style event where he can settle into a tactical position and utilize his decent stretch kick.
Sunday (6-6-10) Hollywood Park Recap
A 9-race card is on tap for Sunday and the pick six features the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks for 3-year-old fillies traveling a mile and a sixteenth on Cushion Track. Blind Luck is the marquee name and she tries to buck the recent speed friendly trend at this distance. The Hollywood Oaks is my Horse Racing Nation Play of the Day.
Monmouth Park Full Card Highlights – June 5
MTH 2 Diva’s Gold/Bros Sis Exacta ($12.60)
MTH 3 Show Me The Bling/Sleepless Dixie Exacta ($18.40)
MTH 4 Quick Ride/Bid Til Included Exacta ($19)
MTH 9 First Acquital ($15.80)
Double (race 9-10, $107.60)
Pick 3 (race 9-11, $83.70)
MTH 13 Excitable Miss ($5.20), Exacta ($12)
*** You may view my June 5 Monmouth Park analysis by clicking the view sample button on my Today’s Racing Digest full card page.
For those interested in Monmouth Park, my Today’s Racing Digest free POD is the Rumson Stakes and my MySpace play is the 11th race from the Jersey Shore.
I am also posting weekly Monmouth Park horses to watch/track bias reports on HRN.
http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/HRN_Monmouth_Report_Opening_Weekend_123
http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/HRN_Monmouth_Report_Week_2