A look back to Saturday's winning Kentucky Derby moment draped in roses for I'll have Another.
With horse racing’s biggest weekend behind us, we settle in for nine weeks at Hollywood Park ahead of summer fun at Del Mar. The all-important fifth race connector leg on a weekday card sees a competitive group of eight 3-year-old fillies in an $80,000 first-level allowance optional claiming event at a mile on turf with a purse of $54,000.
Despite breaking her maiden in the claiming ranks in her last start on March 22, Trois Aureole is the tepid choice on the morning line at 3-to-1. The daughter of English Channel ran fourth in her local debut in the only time she’s faced allowance runners, but merits respect with Joel Rosario aboard and John Sadler doing the conditioning.
We’ll look to a runner exiting a maiden score against allowance foes with 6-to-1 shot Lovestealer, who knocked on the door with a pair of runner-up finishes before breaking through on Feb. 11. The daughter of Artie Schiller has trained well leading up to her return off a three-month break and has the tactical speed needed to stay close to the early pace and get first run on the closers.
Another returning from a layoff is 4-to-1 third choice Island Paradise, who hasn’t been seen since finishing third in her U.S. debut over this layout in the Miesque Stakes (Grade III) last November. The Irish-bred daughter ofTransIslandcan save ground before making her late kick with Garrett Gomez aboard for the first time.
As the 7-to-2 second choice, Gittel needs to cross from her outside post to avoid getting hung wide into the clubhouse turn as she looks to continue her hard-knocking ways since running poorly over this turf course in December. Since breaking her maiden in the $30,000 claiming ranks, the daughter of Bernstein won a starter allowance and just missed twice at this level on the main track at Santa Anita, with her last effort coming against the ill-fated graded stakes winner Bobina, who leaving off on Saturday cost us a $13k Pick-5 score.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,7,8,9) – Use the three preferred runners mentioned above with No. 1 Island Paradise, No. 7 Lovestealer, and No. 8 Gittel along with No. 9 Mia Isabel, who fits if she can maneuver a trip from the outside.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (3,4,5,6,8,9) – Spread with maiden-claiming fillies using No. 3 Valeria, No. 4 Propero, No. 5 Heart of a Madam, No. 6 Bursquel, No. 8 Cupid’s Bling and No. 9 D’princess.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (1,4,5) – No. 1 Rock and Glory will be over bet off a big maiden-breaking number in the slop and should be tough as lone speed, but we’ll add No. 4 Jinny Jump Up and No. 5 Bella’s Fantasy looking for value.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (1,2) – Lots of first-time starters here from top barns that have gaps in their modest work tabs and drawn poorly outside, so we’ll go with the experienced pair to the inside from low-percentage barns with No. 1 Luckyvic and No. 2 Gypsy Friday.
Recap – (1,7,8,9) w (3,4,5,6,8,9) w (1,4,5) w (1,2) – Total cost of ticket = $72
Saturday’s Result – (-$67.50)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$571.95)
Total from 12/26/10-4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (3,4) – The two logical runners to start off a bad early double with No. 3 Warren’sMarshall and No. 4 Yankee Dan.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,5) – More chalk in another bad race with No. 2 Warren’s Hopefull and No. 5 Musical Grace.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,2,4,5,6) – Spread with maiden claimers using No. 1 Freckles Galore, No. 2 Love and Faith, No. 4 Demonsterous, No. 5 Wildakceleration, and No. 6 Cee’s the Year.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (6,7) – The top pick is No. 7 Minister d’Oro getting one last shot to wake up his closing kick on the continued class drop and we’ll add No. 6 Stonewall Jackson looking to build off his maiden win.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,7,8,9) – Same four as the late Pick-4.
Recap – (3,4) w (2,5) w (1,2,4,5,6) w (6,7) w (1,7,8,9) – Total cost of ticket = $80
Saturday’s Result – (-$144)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$544.25)
Total from 7/20/10-4/22/12 (+$2,150.80)
Best Bet of the Day – Can now be found in the free analysis section at www.theracingedition.com along with an early Pick-4 ticket and a consensus box for the entire card.
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For more Hollywood Park action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.
Good luck!
