HORSE RACING

[Lumi]

HORSE RACING
TODAY AT HOLLYWOOD PARK

By Richard Eng

Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Race 1 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $40,000, Optional claiming $40,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Scarlett's Place - Much improved effort when put on the engine; Garrett Gomez likes to wait, sitting on go.

Dave's Revenge - Logical chalk off the big class drop; Joel Rosario had choices and rides for Jerry Hollendorfer.

Long Shot - Gumption

Race 2 - 6 furlongs, Purse $36,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

Quiet Invader - Ran a winning race for this MSW level in debut; if he improves one step, will be tough to handle.

Mr. Ricochet - Typical green debut, slow early, fast late; faced good ones at Keeneland, maybe better than these.

Long Shot - Churchonsunday

Race 3 - 1 1/4 miles (turf), Purse $42,000, Optional claiming $80,000, 3-year-olds and up

Ridge Dance - Third start off a 14-month hiatus; part of an uncoupled Neil Drysdale entry, not much separates them.

Obrigado - Tepid chalk in an open race; hasn't run for a price tag in a long, long time.

Long Shot - Dewey's Special

Race 4 - 6 1/2 furlongs, $50,000 Stuka, 2-year-olds

Tiz Chrome - Private purchase by Las Vegans Bernie Schiappa and Terry Lanni; expect immediate improvement.

Cardiff Giant - Getting tested for class off a sharp $40K claiming win; can be productive in 1-turn races.

Long Shot - Domonation

Race 5 - 6 furlongs, Purse $23,000, Claiming $32,000, 2-year-olds

Espresso Springs - Ran evenly in his SoCal debut; big rider switch to Garrett Gomez and a subtle class drop.

Eternally Fast - Part of an interesting entry; like when the entry has complementary running styles.

Long Shot - Really Uptown

Race 6 - 1 1/16th miles (turf), Purse $22,000, Claiming $25,000, 3-year-olds and up

Uffizi - Won a turf route for $32K and now is dropped to $25K; suspicious except it's Mike Mitchell.

Icemancometh - Appeared overmatched in last, now plunges in class; has lots of speed, bad post, to leave early.

Long Shot - Catastaire

Race 7 - 6 furlongs, Purse $36,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

Exfusion - Looks like a nice prospect for the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer; moves up if Domonation wins.

Dontsellmetofelons - Ironic name considering colt is trained by Jeff Mullins; kin to I Want Revenge.

Long Shot - Clutch Player

Race 8 - 6 furlongs (turf), $38,000, Optional claiming $25,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

Adam Suances - Was flattered when The Usual Q. T. won the Del Mar Derby; regroups in an easier turf sprint.

Trail Mix - Hard knocking veteran always throws his A game; speed to lead or follow close up.

Long Shot - Atticus Jack

Race 9 - 1 1/16th miles, $750,000 Cash Call Futurity, 2-year-olds

Lookin At Lucky - Was clearly best despite a very wide trip from parking lot post 13; this is clearly his house.

Wildlee Special - Like the fact Richard Dutrow thought enough to come out; just broke his MSW, but did it with style.

Long Shot - Noble's Promise

Race 10 - 6 furlongs, Purse $13,000, Maiden claiming $25,000, 3-year-olds and up

Remember Mike - Disguised good effort when off slow, but finished fast in last; chance in a wide open affair.

Renzo Sean - Tepid chalk slides down in class off a 9-month hiatus; Rafael Bejarano for the live Ron Ellis barn.

Long Shot - Easy Peazy

Best Bet - Lookin At Lucky (race 9)

Hollywood Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/5/$45.40; Long Shots, 7/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Hollywood Totals - 408/107/$665.20; Long Shots, 200/28/$278.80; Best Bets, 24/12/$41.40

SIMULCAST PICK OF THE DAY - #1 Roman Silver (5/2) in race 9 at Turfway Park. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Silky Serenade ran out at Fair Grounds. Stats - 188/135/$1,053.30

 

[Lumi]

At the Gate - Saturday
December 19, 2009



After turning a nice profit with my top picks on Wednesday and Thursday night, we came up short last night with my selections at Charles Town and Delta Downs.

We did knock down four exactas in seven races using my contenders, paying $15.00, $9.00, $35.80, and $50.80, but my personal bankroll ended up in the red, as I managed just three of four in Delta?s late Pick 4, and the tickets I did cash at Charles Town were on the light side.

Charles Town already canceled for Saturday and Sunday as a snowstorm is going to spank the east coast.

We will head to Bayou Country for Saturday, as Fair Grounds offers up a 13 race card that includes nine stakes races.

Here are three of my best plays on the card:





Fair Grounds Race 6 Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint S. Post time 2:25 CT)

#5 Cajun Conference 6/1
#8 Master Link 5/2
#6 Seven Sevenythree 5/1
#10 Carmel Coffee 7/2

#5 Cajun Conference went gate to wire at 6/5 last out beating state bred Alw-2 company and is perfect in two trips over the main track at Fair Grounds. She was in the mix in state bred stakes company in her three previous starts going two turns but looks better suited sprinting. Her previous sprint came in the Salute Stakes going seven furlongs and she missed in a photo. She owns a solid pace profile throughout and she left something in the tank despite earning a career top speed fig in her last start.

#8 Master Link had a trough trip last out as the beaten chalk. The filly had to steady when caught in tight quarters on the far turn, had to check when trying to squeeze through an opening in the stretch, then finished up well when clear, missing the runner up spot by a head. She is a two time stakes winner including winning the Louisiana Lassie over the main track here last December as a two year old.

Wagering
WIN: #5 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10
TRI: 5,8 / 5,6,8,10 / 3,5,6,8,10

Fair Grounds Race 7 Esplande S. (Post time 2:54 CT)

#2 Juliet?s Spirit 5/1
#1 She?s Our Annie 3/1
#4 Northern Belle 4/1
#6 Hotlantic 6/1

#2 Juliet?s Spirit returns off a 2 ? month break, last out a non threatening seventh over yielding turf. It?s tough to get a good read on this gal as she has only raced on a fast main track once in her career, winning the 4 ? furlong Lady Charles Town. Six of her other trips came on the fake stuff. She earned a career top two back in the slop at the Spa in a third place finish in the Victory ride (G3). That was a good effort against a solid group. The winner was Sara Louise, who most recently won the Top Flight (G2) and the runner up Bold Union has won a pair of stakes since that race.

#1 She?s Our Annie came off a eight month layoff with a sharp win in the Dream Supreme, her four win in a row. Two back she ran huge at Oaklawn park, earning a 102 Beyer. She does not have a published work since her last outing and while her 3/1 morning line looks fair, she seems more likely to be 8/5.

Fair Grounds Race 9 Daily Racing Form Distaff S. (Post time 3:53 CT)

#4 War Echo 9/5
#1 No Use Denying 5/1
#3 Pleasantly Blessed 7/2
#6 Unforgotten 5/2

#4 War Echo was a sharp winner last out against Alw-2 foes at Churchill Downs in her second start off a seven month layoff. The effort two back off the bench at Belmont Park was not pretty but she looks back on track. Her effort three back when she won the Silverbulletday was outstanding and she beat two very nice fillies in Just Jenda and Four Gifts and three runners came out of that race to win next out. She has plenty of pedigree to handle going nine furlongs.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 8/5 or better.
EX: 1,4 / 1,3,4
TRI: no play

Fair Grounds Race 10 Louisiana Champions Day Turf S. (Post time 4:23 CT)

#9 Desert Wheat 2/1
#2 Wildrally 8/1
#4 Lee?s Spirit 8/1
#3 Nowandforevermore 9/2

#9 Desert Wheat made a good late rally to roll by the field to win the Mr Sulu last out off a 2 ?-month break for the Mott barn. The six year old has now won 4 of 11 over the turf at Fair Grounds and has handled ground with some give to it. The six year old missed winning this race last year over soft footing by a neck. There looks like there should be enough pace in here to set things up for him to win right back.

#2 Wildrally won this race last year and had a three race win streak snapped last out in the Mr Sulu where he stalked the early pace and had no punch in the stretch in a seventh place finish. He finished behind four he faces again today but the gelding is better than he showed last out and I think he bounces back here with a much better effort. If he runs back to his efforts two and three back where he beat open Alw-3 optional claimers that will put him in the mix here and his 8/1 morning line looks fair enough.

Wagering
WIN: #9 to win at 9/5 or better.
EX: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9
TRI: 2,9 / 2,3,4,9 / 1,2,3,4,9

Good luck today!