Celestial Kitten gets the services of Victor Espinoza for the first time in today's featured turf event for allowance optional claiming females.
After the disappointment of seeing Mizdirection beaten at odds-on over the weekend, Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing is live with 6-to-1 shot Miss Radiance making her turf debut against stakes quality females in Thursday’s featured second-level $62,500 allowance optional claimer over 1 1/6-miles on turf with a purse of $57,000.
The 4-year-old daughter of Yes It’s True has worked nicely on the lawn and can save ground before rallying from off the pace under David Flores, who’s been aboard in both career wins.
Graded stakes placed on multiple occasions since being purchased privately and shipping west from New York last year, Celestial Kitten is the 5-to-2 favorite having last been seen on this turf course winning the Spearfish by a head in December. The 4-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy returns off the first significant freshening of her career and can fire a big shot if she can avoid losing ground after breaking from the far outside.
Rafael Bejarano defects from the favorite after riding the last two times, as well as when she won the Spearfish, instead electing to pilot 3-to-1 second choice Imperialistic Diva for the first time. After getting beaten soundly in a pair of stakes at long odds, the 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Haafhd drops back to a level where she missed by just a length while running second in February at Santa Anita.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,2,4,7,8) – We’re partial to No. 2 Zanbo after purchasing her full sister at Barrett’s earlier this month and she has a big shot second-time routing after just missing last time.
We’ll spread though with No. 1 Miss Well Molded, No. 5 Highly Rated, No. 7 Passionville and No. 8 Sassy and Single.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (1,2,5) – Class droppers No. 2 Moonstruck Maya and No. 5 Hout Bay will be tough, but we’ll hope No. 1 Warren’s Jazz Walk can improve on the move back to the main track to sprint.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (2,5,8) – Not mentioned above, No. 5 Rosehill Dew gets Joel Rosario back aboard. The only time they paired up resulted in a clear win at Santa Anita.
We’ll also use No. 2 Miss Radiance and No. 8 Celestial Kitten.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (1,4,5,6,7,8) – All but one in the finale with No. 1 I Feel Free, No. 4 Zuboff, No. 5 Flying Jib, No. 6 Awesome Year, No. 7 Spensive’s Image and No. 8 Warren’s Dr. Boo.
Recap – (1,2,4,7,8) w (1,2,5) w (2,5,8) w (1,4,5,6,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $135
Monday’s Result – (-$120)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$1,399.40)
Total from 12/26/10 – 4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (5,6) – No. 5 Late Night Sky looks like she would be able to handle these with ease, but the gap in works from May 3-26 is a concern so we’ll double up with the only other logical contender, No. 6 Trucial State.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (5,6) – The scratch of No. 4 Night Tide leaves us pointing to No. 5 Yes It’s Snowing looking for his third straight win pressing the pace from the outside and No. 6 Plenny of Henny looking for his fifth career win getting back to the main track.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,2,4,6) – A competitive first-level allowance turf dash and we’ll go four deep with No. 1 Gnarly Dude, No. 2 Doyouseemecoming, No. 4 Malibu Knight and No. 6 A Toe by Three.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (4,6,7) – A trio of bottom-level female sprinters with No. 4 Mo Cheese, No. 6 Irenes Jackpot and No. Mavicsa.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,2,4,7,8) – Same five as the late Pick-4.
Recap – (5,6) w (5,6) w (1,2,4,6) w (4,6,7) w (1,2,4,7,8) – Total cost of ticket = $120
Monday’s Result – (-$100)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (+$541.10)
Total from 7/20/11 – 4/22/12 – (+$2,150.80)
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Good luck!
