Hollywood for Saturday 12 May 2012
Second 1/2 of the today’s card sure seems better but you never know. Make sure you have the right day as Friday, Saturday and Sunday posted Friday night
Doing same format for Belmont Day as we did for Kentucky Derby Day for those interested. Derby Day sure went well.
race 1 slightly below average clarity
2 Choco Ale passing on running against maidens….maybe because the purse money is better for the same claiming price……fast here in debut last….repeat at today’s lower level will make her tough
1 Lewkodonia wired to break maiden in last….will try it again here from a tougher post
5 Anna You’re Up ridiculous placement in last….back to reality……prior 3 races (2 of them versus older) fit fine
race 2 average clarity
6 Mythical Power last nice horse to take the plunge for Baffert was Solar Power who won in hand……my guess is….(hopefully an educated one)……that this horse has a couple of races in her before physical trouble sets in…..can win today with many claims put in
2 Clue Me In ultra consistent sort seems at very best with short rest and that is what we have today
4 Spartan Jet big effort especially pace wise the last time this gelding ran fresh……fresh today…..same trainer….same rider…..obvious wire to wire attempt today
1 Earnednevergiven trainer is in drop mode to salvage what he can of his stock that is headed south…..not impossible
race 3 slightly below average clarity
3 American Act unreal win in last blowing the turn and still managing to win while drifting out in the stretch….should get a nice chase position behind the 1 horse
2 Drill 2 for 2 at the somewhat specialty distance of 7F……both of those wins were strong efforts/figs….should be motoring late with lots of space being that this is a 4 horse field
race 4 slightly below average clarity
9 Courageousandbold debut race 2 back fits here especially getting in for less weight with the app up and entered for 18K….? is can this filly get over clipping heels and falling in her last….recent bullet drill hints she might
6 Royal Lac Du vastly improved in last but in pace and final time…same run 1/2 furlong more and she will be in the hunt for the win from the get go
2 Ralphy Girl best on the Hollywood surface……..best ever is still her mc debut run six races back….might need that race today to win this if our top 2 run their best
10 Devoted positive…..works sure look good enough to be ready in her maiden debut….negative…..not the best connections as far as getting a 1ster to fire in their debut
Possible Long-shot: 1 Torre Italiana best ever was one of the few times this filly ran off of short rest……and it was at Hol….short rest today
race 5 slightly above average clarity
1 Donato bad trip in last….toss out……solid wire to wire grass win 2 back…..stout preparatory drills….looks loose and rather sure this gelding feels good
2 Clearance Clarence Mullins/turf/horse in good form…..very reliable situation the last couple of months
7 Gothic Samurai gimme in last followed by an impressive 7F drill….fit and ready back where he belongs….in a turf route
8 Life Is A Rock short fig wise lately….but owns back numbers that fit….and just claimed by George Lopez who has been moving almost any runner forward of late
race 6 average clarity
3 Northern Iowa decent effort in MSW debut especially considering the lack of betting at the windows……tighter today……and with a logical 3 or 4 lengths of improvement today this youngster can upset the apple cart….good rider/trainer combo the last couple of months
6 Half Strike work tab for this Mandella runner has ready written all over it….showing speed and endurance in the drills
2 Royal Meridian one 5 year old versus 7 3 year old’s……but gains 7 lbs…I’d rather be the 3 year old considering this is only a 6F race……does fit solidly though off of 2 consecutive slightly better than par MSW efforts
5 Eaton Hall lead type only seems better sprinting….should welcome returning to 1 turn racing….1st ever on the AW is a ? mark….wire to wire attempt most likely
race 7 slightly above average clarity
3 Lake Maracaibo big move forward in 2nd lifetime sprint…..that effort repeated long today will make her very tough….bred to appreciate routes more than sprints too….2 very reassuring works…stout rider/trainer team
6 Jolly Days very strong slop run hidden some by a bad trip….checked hard on turn one and the checking also made her rank for awhile….1st on the lawn but bred fine for…….gets stout turf rider in Gomez
10 Lady Ten last was a pace-less affair…..toss it out…..previous was solid running way too wide close to the pace and still closed for 2nd….same effort with a better trip and she is as good as anyone in here….not an easy post though
5 Playful Humor sat too far off a very slow pace and still managed to close ground in her MSW debut….blinkers on to sit closer today….somewhat dangerous 2nd timer but she best be a good one as there is a lot of big race potential in our top 3 picks
race 8 average clarity
4 Octane broke a length slow and still set a fast pace and won……great sign to work 2 strong 5F drills since with the last getting the rare (at least in Cal) breeze notation…same or better today
2 Obsess mid pack runner should get what he needs here to have a shot and that is plenty of heat up front
6 Seventh Avenue Bonde shipper from IRE broke his maiden at 1st asking on the AW and at odds of 33 to 1….seems to indicate the horse is better than many thought before his debut….good drills suggests he’s ready for his first run in the good old U S of A
7 L. A. Weekend extremely fast early especially in his MSW debut last May at Hol….solid work tab and fresh once again….dangerous possible speed of the speed
race 9 average clarity
1 Love My Gal owns good speed in this spot and a decent post at 5 1/2 furlongs……shot to wire with light weight app up…that is if he doesn’t get tossed again
8 Strawberry Route strong key for Miller is laid up maiden drop downs…that is what we have here
9 Silver Gun Girl bet hard in debut and ran rather decent…..small move forward and she should be as tough as anyone in the field
13 Pumpkin Pie been away 10 months but drops from MSW to the bottom and the works suggest he is ready
3 Bella Marino works hint that this laid up runner might be returning as a much improved animal….she better be
4 Willetta
Hollywood for Friday night 11 May 2012
Good Friday night race card with all the races rated “average clarity” or better. Good Luck.
race 1 slightly above average clarity
4 Quail Hill solid move forward in latest both in pace and final time…….that was on the sod……only race on the AW was poor but excusable as it was his lifetime debut at 62 to 1……anywhere close to last today will make him tough
2 Blake 5 year old’s best ever was his lone race on the Hollywood AW and it was his lifetime debut way back in early 2010…….Ky Derby winning jock has little to prove in S Cal now…….good trainer/ rider team
1 Oskar Hval yet to run up to expectations since Hendrick took over this Eastern invader….but….race two back was a wake-up of sorts and the recent drills sure looks much improved…..rather sure best yet under the auspicious of Dan Hendricks
race 2 average clarity
5 Really Elegant looks loose once again and likely to be a more fit runner 2nd out after the layoff…….last four route races run in S Cal are rather solid
6 Tripped The Light ultra consistent sort always seems to draw a top notch rider and does once again in the name of Garret Gomez……mare is 7 for 7 on the board on the Hol AW and 9 for 9 in the $ at today’s distance
4 Living Our Dream likes a target to run after and looks likely to get the chase position here…….layoff last was decent and with a logical forward move today she fits almost as well as anyone in this field
7 Real Rockport will need to avoid flattening out in late stretch……seems to flatten out running anything further than 1 mile…..I guess this is where the phrase “best of the rest” is apropos
race 3 average clarity
5 Jonny’s Choice decent improvement in last and recent a.m. work (before and after his last race) hints more can be expected tonight
1 Turn On The Pumps decent shot to be the one on the lead in this affair…..wide trip in last hides a fairly decent sprint prep for today’s route
6 Swift Eagle lone turf race 2 back is a par like effort for this level…..that was a sprint….route turf race here…..seems to have only a mediocre route turf pedigree
2 Elusive Journey not the strongest of turf figs/efforts but at least this closer finishes up well in most of his races…….wants pace pace pace pace
race 4 average clarity
3 Magical Blend impressive 2nd lifetime start winning big and showing solid pace and good final time…….continues her strong moves in the a.m……..can continue to progress and might get back to back wins today
5 Treatherlikealady nice win in high priced claimer in last…..that race is a little better than par for today’s nw alw level…….fits well just repeating her last….more and it will take a bad trip to beat her
4 Helenor Rugby decent alw horse smartly is placed in a high priced claimer……….seems better on synthetics surfaces….believe moves forward tonight
race 5 average clarity
2 D J Dave Mitchell charge is all wound and ready to roll in MSW debut….he’s hit the track working every 5 or 6 days for the last 10 weeks…….bred well to handle the sod….rather sure this 1st timer is meant and ready
5 Enduring Promise flew in last 1st time blinkers…..stopped because of the sizzling pace and a slightly dull inside…..1st on the lawn….tough call on his breeding to handle it….but he surely has a shot to wire if he does take to the green stuff
8 Borealis Way big MSW debut on the AW……..then a so so run on the sod in last…..bit surprised he isn’t running on the main track but Puype is a smart trainer and he might see or know something I’m clueless about
7 Bringon The Wain on the right end of the learning curve and now tries the grass for the 1st time with an OK pedigree to handle it
Possible Long-shot: 9 Jaco Red 63 to 1 in debut says the race was needed……back in 13 days suggests the youngster came out of the race just fine….. and Marty Jones is much more dangerous with 2nd time starters…..decent turf pedigree
race 6 slightly above average clarity
4 American Wildcat Jeff Bonde is quite good when he drops a claimer multiple notches….and we get a significant rider upgrade from a cold jock to a hot one in Bejarano
8 Brady Blue Eyes big effort in last caught 3 wide pressing the pace….not usually a good thing…..would have been top choice if this was SA but it’s Hollywood and this gelding has more to prove on it’s AW surface
7 Devoted Magic lost rider as the favorite at this level in last……..won for fun the two times this 8 year old ran at 12.5K or lower
6 Hammurabi good drills since Carava snatched at the claiming box….maybe blinkers off woke this one up in the morning…..if so now he needs to carryover the a.m. progress to the p.m.
race 7 slightly above average clarity
3 The Unusual One weaker races fit OK here….top races make him really solid in this spot……impressive 13 month layoff win in last….should be in it from the get go
5 Husband’s Folly last two races are par for this level….now he needs to do it 1st time at a route……bred decently to get the 1 1/16 distance…..good trainer 1st at a route
1 He’s Very Rare on the improve on the main track……now he needs to do the same on the turf…..likes the front end but so does our top pick
4 A Toast To You exits a pace-less affair which I view kind of as a non event for handicapping purposes……but…… he is 2 of 3 lifetime having won his MSW debut on the AW….dangerous sort with his good connections
race 8 average clarity
10 Iron Joe T improving sort just ran his best ever last out….his 1st ever on Hollywood’s surface……5 1/2 looks like a good fit
1 My Main Man not the best 1st time starter conditioner in Becerra but the drills for this six year old 1ster are too good to ignore……mom has tossed 4 winners in 4 starters but I doubt any of them waited till 6 to break their maiden
9 Hidden Quest both lifetime races are par like efforts for this bottom level maiden claiming level…….5 1/2 also looks like a good fit
3 Three Little Birds off almost 2 years but training like he is fit and ready…..at least he isn’t 6……he’s 5……lone race was a bad trip effort in a MSW affair….better than looks in print……Linda Mikus has had a good 2012 with her limited starters
7 Mary’s App wide trip in last and only lost to our top two picks by less than 3 lengths…back in two weeks…not out of this even with (5 0 0 0 ) app up
2 Romaine long layoff since being up the track in mc debut……needs to come back as a different horse…….hot rider/trainer team….5 for 13 the last 2 months
