Horse Racing: Today at Hollywood Park

today at Hollywood park

By Richard Eng

Post Time 1 p.m.

Race 1 - 7 1/2 furlongs, Purse $26,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

4 Night Dance - Mike Mitchell is tough to beat on the drop; interesting he hires Garrett Gomez to ride.

2 Briteness - Switching from turf to synthetics; last race was best in a while with Rafael Bejarano up.

Long Shot - 3 Swingaway

Race 2 - 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $17,000, Claiming $8,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

6 Warren’s Morgan - The last two races for this $8K class are good; suspect he finally has found his friends.

2 Princelada - Third start off a 4-month hiatus; the ultra class drop can only help, now or go to Phoenix.

Long Shot - 4 Michailasheartlite

Race 3 - 1 1/8th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

9 Indygo F M A - Just missed in last in a game effort; parking lot post, but long run to the first turn for this.

3 Scooter Bird - Dead late closer doesn’t get cranking until 6 furlongs; has some extra ground to work with tonight.

Long Shot - 8 Dance Team

Race 4 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $27,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

3 Brannaman - Lone Bob Baffert entrant in today; this cull may be able to win on memory alone.

4 Tuckers Point - Another taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much to win.

Long Shot - 5 Captain Corrigan

Race 5 - 6 furlongs (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $40,000, Claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

4 Luckarack - Has not won, or raced, on turf in quite some time; key is he’s won twice on the stuff.

1 Et Tu Walker - Sharp win last out in return to turf; like the rail post in grass sprints in Inglewood.

Long Shot - 2 Canonize

Race 6 - 1 1/16th miles, Purse $57,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up

6 American Blend - Did not handle the grass in last as expected; his race two back, if repeated, would beat these.

4 Rousing Sermon - Was flattered when Half Strike won next time out; finally got a confidence booster into him.

Long Shot - 1 Congenial

Race 7 - 1 1/16th miles (turf, rail at 10 feet), Purse $54,000, Allowance, Fillies, 3-year-olds

4 Sweet Red Cat - Closed too little too late in last; gets class relief and Garrett Gomez remains loyal to the cause.

2 Macha - Has a grinder style that gets her close but no cigar; Jerry Hollendorfer tries blinkers on tonight.

Long Shot - 6 Somethingabouther

Race 8 - 4 1/2 furlongs, Purse $52,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 2-year-olds

6 California Chrome - Just one race experience can be a major factor among babies; was well bet in career debut.

3 Better Bet - Mike Harrington babies typically run well at their home base; second start should show improvement.

Long Shot - 9 Charisma Code

Best Bet - 4 Sweet Red Cat (race 7)

Hollywood Park Thursday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/2/$8.40; Long Shots, 8/1/$9.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Hollywood Park Totals - 217/56/$344.60; Long Shots, 102/14/$144.20; Best Bets, 12/3/$8.80

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #5 Ricky Tick (5/2) in race 5 at Churchill Downs. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, At Bat won at Churchill Downs paying $2.80 to win and $2.20 to place. Stats - 78/54/$400.80; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick