American Act battled inside of Drill to the wire his last time sprinting in the San Vicente Stakes (Grade II) and is favored in today's $70,000 Harry Henson Stakes.
Consistent overnight rains have put a damper on the first day of racing at Betfair Hollywood Park, where we’re off the turf in the featured $70,000 Harry Henson Stakes for three-year-olds sprinting six furlongs.
American Act is the 2-to-1 morning line favorite and will likely go off much shorter since 5-to-2 second choice Koast was scratched after the surface switch. Rafael Bejarano gets the leg up on American Act for the first time making his debut on a synthetic surface drawn outside the other speed. In his last main track sprint, the son of Quiet American missed by just a nose to Drill over seven furlongs in the San Vicente (Grade II) at Santa Anita.
Consulado also has speed and debuted on Cushion Track in December with a runner-up finish before breaking his maiden at Santa Anita. The son of More Than Ready has also trained consistently on Hollywood Park’s main track and can make amends for being the beaten odds-on favorite in his last.
Senor Rain was the victor when Consulado was beaten last time out, scoring at 21-to-1 in that allowance optional claimer before finishing up the track at 50-to-1 in the Santa Anita Derby (Grade I). The Indiana-bred son of El Nino finished third in his only try over this main track routing in last year’s Real Quiet Stakes and is one of two runners in the field with three career wins.
If the race falls apart on the front end, Passing Game can pick up the pieces making his return to Hollywood Park for the first time since breaking his maiden by over two lengths last May. In three starts on turf and synthetic, the California-bred son of Game Plan has finished no worse than a neck back at the wire, while he’s been well-beaten in all three dirt tries.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (7,8) – The scratches of No. 1 Born Lucky and No. 3 Byrony makes No. 8 Miss Sea Cup dangerous stretching out on the lead, while No. 7 Caelis is logical at a short price off a trio of runner-up finishes.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (7,8,9) – We’ll give No. 8 Family and Friends a shot debuting against a bad bunch with the un-retired (again) Patrick Valenzuela in the irons.
No. 7 Ralphy Girl has good early speed and some stick and No. 9 Tiz a Brite Miss plummets to the bottom after missing by half a length against allowance runners 11 months ago.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (2,5,6,7) – Use the quartet discussed above with No. 2 Senor Rain, No. 5 Consulado, No. 6 American Act and No. 7 Passing Game.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (1,2,5,6) – The first 4 ½-furlong baby race of the meet closes the day and we’ll spread with No. 1 Awe Golly Molly, No. 2 Awe’ Some Kitten, No. 5 Tangled Rock and No. 6 Slew’s Way.
Recap – (7,8) w (7,8,9) w (2,5,6,7) w (1,2,5,6) – Total cost of ticket = $48
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for currentHollywoodParkspring/summer meet – (NA)
Total from 12/26/10-4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,4,5,6) – Claimers routing in the opener and we use four of them with No. 1 Life Is a Rock, No. 4 Laser Point, No. 5 Capture the Call and No. 6 Bronster.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (ALL) – We prefer the debuting No. 4 A Full Tank of Gas, but we’ll hope for some madness to start the meet by punching the ALL button.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (2,3,7,9) – Another four-pack with bottom-level female sprinters using No. 2 Si Mar’s Dear, No. 3 Can’t Topper, No. 7 Folk Dancer and No. 9 La Hijo Maestria.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (1) – Single No. 1 Ranchero on the drop in class for Bob Baffert with previous races that win this easy.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (7,8) – Same duo as the late Pick-4.
Recap – (1,4,5,6) w (ALL) w (2,3,7,9) w (1) w (7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $144
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for currentHollywoodParkspring/summer meet – (NA)
Total from 7/20/10-4/22/12 (+$2,150.80)
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Good luck!
