Hollywood Park Saturday Preview

Saturday features a full schedule of racing from around the country, but the best quality will obviously be at Hollywood Park.  It’s closing weekend at the track, and the big stars have come out to play.  The excitement starts in race four when Eblouissante takes to the track.  It’ll be the 2nd career start for the sister of Zenyatta, and once again she looks like she’s placed to win.  Her maiden win was impressive, although it was not the strongest of fields.  This field looks to be another weak field for an allowance race.  However, does that really matter at this point though?  No, not at all.  Horse fans just want to see her run and succeed.  There will be a time and place when she’ll have to step up against stakes company, but until that time lets just enjoy her being on the track.

Race seven is the next big one on the card, and will serve as the first leg of the late pick four.  It’s the Hollywood Turf Cup which is a grade 2 race ran over the turf run at a mile and one half.  Bourbon Bay will headline the field, as he returns off a two month layoff.  He’s a Grade 2 winner, and finished second in this race last year.  It won’t be an easy task for Bourbon Bay, as an evenly matched field will be ready to take him on.  Interaction, Slim Shadey, Grandeur, Grassy, and Kindergarden Kid have all at times ran well enough to win this type of race.  The field also includes Optimizer, who has run much better since switching to the turf back in August.

The next race is a Maiden Special Weight for two-year olds colts, and the one that should take most of the money is the #12 horse: Tiz the Truth.  Lets just say there is a lot of buzz about this horse based on his morning workouts.  In his last work on 12/9 he went four furlongs in 46.00, which was the fastest of 115 horses at the distance!  If the workouts don’t jump out at you, the connections will.  Bob Baffert trains with Martin Garcia called on to ride.  These two have teamed up produced numerous winners over the last four years.  Eleven other two-year olds are entered, but Tiz the Truth may very well serve as a single on many people’s ticket.

The ninth race, which will serve as the feature, is the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity.  Eleven two-year olds will race for a purse of $750,000, as well as the ever important points that count towards the Kentucky Derby.  Here is the field and a short summary on each horse:

1. He’s Had Enough (KY) – Finished 2nd in the Breeders Cup Juvenile in his last start.  Trained by Doug O’Neill

2. Den’s Legacy (FL) – Won a Grade 3 Stakes over the turf last time out.  First of four horses in this race trained by Bob Baffert.

3. Dirty Swagg (KY) – Broke his maiden at Del Mar, but hasn’t been able to do much since that race.

4. Carving (KY) – Second Bob Baffert trained horse, and could be the possible favorite.  Has won three of four races, including the Real Quiet Stakes last time out.

5. Fury Kapcori (KY) – Finished 2nd to Carving in the Real Quiet Stakes last time out.

6. Violence (KY) – East coast shipper for Todd Pletcher; is undefeated in two starts, with a Grade 2 stakes win to his credit.  Deserving morning line favorite.

7. Simon Eyes (KY) – Just a maiden winner; finished fourth in the Real Quiet Stakes last time out.

8. Really Mr Greely (KY) – Third Baffert entry, and recently won the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue Stakes.  Mike Smith has been called on to ride.

9. Title Contender (KY) – Last Baffert entry is exiting the Breeder Cup Juvenile, where he finished eighth.

10. Little Jerry (KY) – Recent maiden winner is one for one on his career.  Won by a neck over Curly Top, who came back to finish second again on Thursday.

11. Oxbow (KY) – Recent maiden winner at Churchill Downs ships in for D Wayne Lukas.  Won wire to wire by almost five lengths in his only win.