Dhaamer looks to make it a perfect 2-for-2 over Hollywood Park's turf course in today's $100,000 Sunset Handicap (Grade III).
After capturing the Triple Bend Handicap (Grade I) just a day after under going brain surgery last month, the feel good story of the meet can continue for trainer Mike Mitchell on closing day as he looks primed to capture the $100,000 Sunset Handicap (Grade III) over 1 ½-miles on the turf with Dhaamer.
Mitchell gets a helping hand from both his son-in-laws in trying to defeat three other rivals in the feature, as Julien Leparoux is in to ride for the first time at the meet before an extended stint at Del Mar over the summer.
Leparoux is engaged to Mitchell’s daughter, Shea, while his other daughter, McCall, is married to Craig “Boomer” Rounsefell, a native of Australia who was responsible for bringing the 5-year-old son of Dubai Destination to the U.S. earlier this year after a disappointing 2011 campaign Down Under.
Listed at 6-to-5 on the morning line off a resounding 4 ¼-length win in the Round Table over this layout on May 13, Dhaamer has trained consistently since and carries co-height of 118-lbs.
Juniper Pass is assigned the same weight and is the main threat at 8-to-5 on the morning line in his third start off the layoff after a pair of fourth-place finishes at the meet. Having clinched yet another riding title weeks ago, Rafael Bejarano can ice his cake by winning yet another graded stake.
Still in search of his first win since setting up shop in Southern California, Yuichi Fukunaga takes over on Quaintly after she was left in Dhaamer’s wake in the Round Table. The 4-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway since ran third beaten half a length back against her own gender in the Beverly Hills (Grade III) and will likely try to lead from gate-to-wire.
She could however get company on the front end from Romp, who showed that new dimension while missing by a head in his first start of 2012 on June 16. The 8-year-old Argentinan-bred son of Incurable Optimist has tried stakes competition many times with little success over the past three years.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 7 (1,2,3,7,8) – Non-winners of two start the final sequence of the meet and we’ll spread with No. 1 Last Memories, No. 2 What a Rush, No. 3 El Tango Ray, No. 7 Sweet Elation and No. 8 Depth.
Leg 2 – Race 8 (3,4,5,7) – No. 7 Montego Bay drops from maiden allowance ranks and catches a field void of early speed and much other turf route experience.
However, we’ll use a trio that stretch out and try turf for the first time with No. 3 Tanjero, No. 4 Berlusconi and No. 5 Silent Bidder.
Leg 3 – Race 9 (2,5,6) – We’ll use three of the four contenders with No. 2 Orientatious, No. 5 Candrea and No. 6 Moonstruck Maya, with the belief that No. 3 Top Debutante is on the downward form of her cycle highlight by just a three-furlong work since last raced on June 1.
Leg 4 – Race 10 (1,12,14) – The late punch that No. 12 Coranto and No. 14 Visionary Man is much better than any of the form the other runners have shown, but we’ll give No. 1Temple of Gold another shot for potent connections after not lifting a hoof in his debut.
Recap – (1,2,3,7,8) w (3,4,5,7) w (2,5,6) w (1,1,2,14) – Total cost of ticket = $90
Yesterday’s Result – (-$140)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$2,116.20)
Total from 12/26/10 – 4/22/12 – (+$588.70)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (3,5) – No. 5 Creditcardroulette’s turf sprint experience from her last gives her a huge edge, but we’ll add the come backing No. 3 Chloe W, who exits a pair of juvenile stakes and gets Bejarano back.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (ALL) – Really not much to like about any of these maiden claimers so we’ll punch the all button.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (4) – No. 4 Dhaamer’s three U.S. races indicated he’s better than the other three in here so we’ll give him the nod at short odds with Mike Mitchell’s soon-to-be son-in-law aboard.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (ALL) – Scratches leave us with a field of five in this lack luster female claiming sprint where we punch the all button again.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (3,4,6,7) – Another bad bunch of female claimers, this time going a mile on turf, and we’ll use four runners that have never won twice with No. 3 Red Intrigue, No. 4 Three Cuties, No. 6 Warren’s Lover and No. 7 Around the Twig.
Recap – (3,5) w (ALL) w (4) w (ALL) w (3,4,6,7) – Total cost of ticket = $180
Yesterday’s Result – (-$140)
Total for current Hollywood Park spring/summer meet – (-$302.60)
Total from 7/20/11 – 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.
Make sure to follow me on Twitter @mdoche for last minute changes caused by scratches and much more!
Check out my blogs for America’s Best Racing on www.followhorseracing.com!
Listen to my weekly HD Los Angeles sports podcast!
To view my horse racing channel on YouTube click here!
For more Hollywood Park action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.
Good luck!
