Kettle Corn won two straight to close 2011 at Hollywood Park including this win in the Native Diver (G3).
The streets are talking, and what’s being said points to the likely scenario that this will be the final racing meet held at venerable Hollywood Park. Spared its demise the past few years by a recession, the economy has apparently healed enough for investors to resume their plans to turn the track and its vast parking lot space into residential and commercial space.
We begin the end with a card light on entries early, but loaded with a difficult late Pick-4 sequence. The feature comes with just five runners in the third race going 1 1/16-miles on turf in a money allowance with a purse of $56,000.
Dropping out of a stakes race for the first time in eight starts, Kettle Corn is the 2-to-1 favorite making just his third career start on turf. The 5-year-old son of Candy Ride finished fourth in his last to a solid group of turfers in the Arroyo Seco Mile (Grade 2) after a string of six straight in the money finishes in graded stakes company on synthetics that began with him winning the Native Diver Handicap (G3) over Hollywood’s Cushion Track last December.
Looking for a repeat of his wire-to-wire victory when making his local debut at Santa Anita on October 12, Oligarch is one of a pair listed as the 5-to-2 second choice. That win broke a seven-race losing streak from races in Florida for the 4-year-old son of Congrats and he’s turned in a pair of solid a.m. spins over the main track since.
The other horse listed at 5-to-2 is Akkadian, who has a win and a pair of runner-up efforts over Hollywood’s turf course. If you draw a line through the five off the board finishes in stakes tries for the 4-year-old son of Tiznow, you’re left with an extremely consistent allowance performer with the versatility to lay close to the pace or roll late.
The 3-to-1 fourth choice is Thirtyfirststreet, who moves back to Rafael Bejarano for the first time since they teamed up to win by 6 ½-lengths over the main track at Santa Anita in January. Since then, the 4-year-old Good Journey colt has fallen to defeat eight straight times and transferred from the barn of Doug O’Neill to Peter Eurton.
We’re off to the races!
Late Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (3,4,5,6,9) – Five deep in the all-important connector leg with No. 3 Include the Cat, No. 4 Briteyednbuhsytail, No. 5 Last Sting, No. 6 Collating Lady and No. 9 Elegant.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (2,4,5,7,9,11,13,16) – A wide spread at the bottom of the maiden claiming ranks for juveniles with No. 2 Our Smokin Hero, No. 4 Doubledeesonthetee, No. 5 Salah Champ, No. 7 Real Deal Appeal, No. 9 The Whole Deal, No. 11 Proud Bull, No. 13 Tentimesthetrouble and No. 16 Trice Up.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (6,7,9,10) – Lots of early speed signed on, so we’ll use a quartet that can win from off the pace with No. 6 Candy’s Sunrise, No. 7 My Slew, No. 9 Master Chef and No. 10 Sun’s Out.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (3,6) – We’ll give four runners a shot in here, but settle on the pair that have experience over the first-time starters with No. 3 Tanquerray and No. 6 Peppy Bolly.
Recap – (3,4,5,6,9) w (2,4,5,7,9,11,13,16) w (6,7,9,10) w (3,6) – Total cost of ticket = $160
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for current Hollywood Park meet – (NA)
Total from 12/26/10 – 11/4/12 – (-$1,006.45)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (2,4,5) – A trio of logical contenders to open the meet with No. 2 Natalie’s Academy, No. 4 Attach the Jack and No. 5 Cupid’s Bling.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,5) – Bottom rung female claimers go a route of ground on the main track and we’ll use the two four-time winners in the field with No. 2 Living Our Dream and No. 5 Musical Grace.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (ALL) – No. 3 Quindici Man hasn’t won in ages, but he also drops out of stakes company for the first time in a long time so we’ll punch the all button.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (2,5,7) – No. 2 She’s a Go Girl has been compromised a bit breaking from the parking lot in her last two, but nevertheless those efforts are much better than any of her rivals have shown. The move to speed rider Edwin Maldando is a big plus and she should be able to clear the field and be long gone.
Add No. 5 Diamond Flush, who did well to pass half the field in her debut after breaking from the rail and finding herself dead last, and No. 7 Spooky Lady reportedly training well for Julio Canani.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (3,4,5,6,9) – Same five as the late Pick-4.
Recap – (2,4,5) w (2,5) w (ALL) w (2,5,7) w (3,4,5,6,9) – Total cost of ticket = $225
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for current Hollywood Park meet – (NA)
Total from 7/20/11 – 11/4/12 – (+$16,685.25)
Best Bet of the Day – Can now be found in the Pros Picks section at www.santaanita.com.
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Good luck!
