Game On Dude battled hard on the inside in last year's Hollywood Gold Cup (Grade I) coming up a nose short to stable mate First Dude.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic division sees four of its contenders in an early season stepping stone at 1 1/8-miles over Hollywood Park’s main track in the $150,000 Californian (Grade II).
What it lacks in quantity is made up for in quality, with three millionaires going post ward including Game On Dude, who returns as the 8-to-5 favorite making his first start since flopping in the Dubai World Cup (Grade I) in March. The 5-year-old son of Awesome Again made his only start over Cushion Track in last year’s Hollywood Gold Cup (Grade I) when he came up a nose short to stable mate First Dude.
The presence of Game on Dude likely means 5-to-2 second choice Morning Line will get no breather on the front end as he did when wiring the Mervyn LeRoy (Grade II) on May 5. John Shirreffs deserves tons of credit for having the quirky 5-year-old son of Tiznow ready to fire a career best in his first start in his new home in California, but repeating or moving forward off that effort may be even more difficult.
The added ground should help 3-to-1 third choice Prayer for Relief after he too ran the best race of his career when gaining on Morning Line in the Mervyn LeRoy before coming up a half length short going a sixteenth of a mile shorter. Never out of the money in four local starts, the 4-year-old son of Jump Start moves back to Rafael Bejarano, who was busy riding in the Kentucky Derby on May 5.
Despite bringing paltry career earnings just shy of $190,000 to the dance, Kettle Corn rates a big shot as the longest price in the field at 7-to-2. Joel Rosario is back in the irons aboard the 5-year-old son of Candy Ride, who also has an affinity for this strip and can improve in his second off the layoff.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 6 (3,4,5,10) – No. 3 Ella Bea Awesome and No. 5 Gambler’s Beauty are both daughter of Awesome Gambler than can build off decent tries in their debuts against a host of first-time starters.
No. 4 Cotton’s Point is by prolific debut sire Salt Lake and has not missed a beat in the morning, while No. 10 Yodelin Moon has many positive trainer and jockey angles working in her favor.
Leg 2 – Race 7 (2,4,5,8) – A pair of scratches means No. 2 Starry Skies is even more formidable with less company on the front end.
No. 4 Lady Ten finally broke through with a win and could get first run on classy closers No. 5 She Spirit di Su and No. 8 Self Preservation.
Leg 3 – Race 8 (ALL) – This quartet is tough to separate so we’ll use them all.
Leg 4 – Race 9 (1,4,5,8) – With a clean break, No. 8 Gypsy Friday can be right in the mix off her previous efforts.
We’ll add No. 1 Angel’s Moon, No. 4 Not Kidding Around and No. 5 Attigirl Meadow.
Recap – (3,4,5,10) w (2,4,5,8) w (ALL) w (1,4,5,8) – Total cost of ticket = $128
Yesterday’s Result – (-$120)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$1,654.40)
Total from 12/26/10 – 4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (1) – No. 1 Ranchero keeps dropping off wins and should roll again with his biggest threat, No. 2 Jim’s Decision, scratched.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (1,2,3) – No. 1 Propero has disappointed twice and now drops to the bottom against a bad bunch, where they will all likely be chasing No. 2 Tiz a Brite Miss.
No. 3 Warren’s Performer was too far back last time and can make an impact late if she’s kept in mid-pack down the back side.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,3,4) – No. 3 Lanida returns off a long layoff after a pair of nice closing efforts atDel Mar last summer. Lots of pace to chase today will benefit her late rally.
Both No. 1 Toto Cor and No. 4 Magical Band should be part of the early pace brigade, but both have shown flashes of brilliance.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (2,4,5,6) – A split of race two and if it’s even possible the weaker division, where No. 4 one Lucky Lady can give Saul Arias his first win back in So Cal after a runner-up effort three weeks ago.
No. 5 Zees Chris returns off an extended layoff and has finished in the money in all five tries over this main track.
A pair of debuters are worth using with No. 2 Desert Blossom landing Martin Pedroza off a Los All work tab and No. 6 Teslar training steadily for Mike Puype.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,2,3,4,6) – He hasn’t won in a long time, but No. 4 Arcodoro could finally get his own way on the lead and get brave today.
No. 3 Fire Break’s 10 wins are imposing against a group that doesn’t like to get to the wire first. He returns just six days off a sub-par comeback effort.
No. 1 Life Is a Rock has reportedly perked up in the morning for George Lopez and his turf efforts atGolden Gatelast year make him tough.
No. 2 Jairzihno and No. 6 J P Jammer each have just two wins from over 30 starts, but catch a weak bunch for the level.
Recap – (1) w (1,2,3) w (1,3,4) w (2,4,5,6) w (1,2,3,4,6) – Total cost of ticket = $90
Yesterday’s Result – (-$180)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (+$241.10)
Total from 7/20/11 – 4/22/12 – (+$2,150.80)
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Good luck!
