Trainer Mike Mitchell, fresh off a training title at Santa Anita, will celebrate his 60th birthday Friday and hopes for good luck with three stakes entrants at Holllywood Park this weekend.
Assistant Phil D'Amato entered Wine On the Porch in the $75,000-added Harry Henson Stakes Friday night, Monzante in the $150,000-added Mervyn LeRoy Handicap Saturday and Bilo in the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes Sunday.
"I think I'm just going to sleep tomorrow and be at the races at night," said Mitchell of his birthday plans by cell phone Thursday from Florida, where he was concluding a week at the OBS 2-year-old sale with six purchases to bolster his stable.
Mitchell refused to make any predictions about another meet title here but hoped the momentum would carry him to plentiful trips to the winner's circle. "If somebody had told me before Santa Anita that I would be leading trainer, I would have told them they're crazy," said Mitchell. "It just turned out to be a terrific meet, and the title was icing on the cake."
Rather than light the candles on his birthday cake, Mitchell would prefer to win the Harry Henson, a six-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds. "Wine On the Porch just broke his maiden sprinting in his second start at Santa Anita with Tyler Baze, who rides him back, and he's bred for turf," said Mitchell of the Royal Academy colt, who worked five furlongs in a bullet :58.40 on Cushion Track here April 18.
Monzante, a sharp winner of the Santana Mile Handicap at Santa Anita in his last start March 8, drew post seven in a strong field of nine in the Grade II Mervyn LeRoy at 1 1/16 miles on Cushion Track. "He's ready to meet this kind of company," said Mitchell of the 4-year-old gelding.
Mitchell was optimistic that Bilo would be more effective returning to sprinting in the 7 ½-furlong Tiznow after fading to sixth, beaten by 13¼ lengths in the Sunshine Millions Classic at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita Jan. 26. It was the 8-year-old gelding's first attempt routing after joining the Mitchell barn following a private purchase.
"I gave him 30 days off after the last race, and he's been doing really well," said Mitchell of Bilo, who finished third in the Tiznow last year. The Tiznow is part of the $1.3-million Cal National Gold Rush IX program for Cal-breds.
"We will probably point Bilo to the Triple Bend after the Tiznow," Mitchell said in reference to the $300,000, Grade I Triple Bend Handicap at seven furlongs on July 5 in which he is defending champion.
Mitchell added that Big Booster, winner of the closing-day San Juan Capistrano Handicap grass marathon at Santa Anita, would get a small break and could be readied for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28, a race in which he finished third last year. He also said On the Acorn, who finished fourth in the San Juan Capistrano, would return to defend honors in the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap here May 10.
Mitchell also said Grade I stakes-winning filly Romance Is Diane has returned to training and is being pointed to the $175,000-added Milady Handicap May 31 as a prep for the $300,000 Vanity Handicap July 5.
HARRIS LOOKING TO PAN GOLD
John Harris, a prominent California owner-breeder, planned to be busy Sunday with at least six entrants in the $1.3-million Cal National Gold Rush card.
Harris, a California Horse Racing Board commissioner and former chairman, toured the stable area Thursday morning with current CHRB chairman Richard Shapiro.
Harris, owner of Harris Farms in Coalinga, had one surprise entrant in Scott's Spirit in the $250,000 Cal National Snow Chief Stakes, the richest race of the day for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
"It was a last-minute decision," said Harris of the High Brite gelding trained by Carla Gaines. "He's won his last two. It's a wide-open race. If you're not in, you can't win." Scott's Spirit drew post nine in a field of 13.
Other Harris-bred entrants include Lucky J.H. (his namesake) and Cost of Freedom in the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes and River Glow in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes.
ELLIS ADDS BLINKERS FOR BUZZARDS BAY
Trainer Ron Ellis hopes the addition of blinkers will provide a spark for Buzzards Bay in the $150,000-added Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at 1 1/16 miles Saturday.
"I'm trying something to shake him up because it seems he isn't trying," said Ellis Thursday. "He moves to the head of the lane and doesn't go on with it. I hope this helps him focus."
Buzzards Bay, a 6-year-old horse, has faltered in his last four starts, most recently fading to fifth, beaten by eight lengths, April 5 in the Oaklawn Handicap, a race he won by six lengths in 2006.
Ellis was encouraged by a pair of sharp half-mile works in :46 and :46.20 here, one with blinkers, since his return from Arkansas.
Buzzards Bay finished third in the Mervyn LeRoy last year after bobbling at the start. The chestnut drew post four in a field of nine under regular rider Jose Valdivia, Jr. The leading money-winner in the field with $1,422,907, he has won seven of 24 starts.
CURE FOR A HEADACHE
French-born trainer Leonard Powell and French-born jockey Julien Couton savored an upset victory by French-bred Headache on the opening-day card Wednesday in Barn 55 Thursday morning.
Headache, a 30-to-1 longshot, returned from a seven-month layoff to score his first U.S. victory and give Couton his first stateside score in a $20,000 claiming race at seven furlongs.
"He was a 'headache' in the beginning," said Powell of the 5-year-old gelding who was unplaced in seven starts last year after being shipped to him from France by the country's leading trainer, Robert Collet, who bred and co-owns him.
"He had no more conditions in France and Mr. Collet thought he would be well suited for American racing," explained Powell. "Last year he worked well in the morning but did not race well in the afternoon. He was a morning glory. I'm hoping he'll be an afternoon glory now. I gave him the time off to deal with some issues, and I have been training him differently since his return. He's a very tense horse. I think I've found the key."
Powell, who trains ten horses here, is enjoying his best year after his sixth victory with 17 starters. He scored the biggest victory of his career with Niagara Causeway in the Grade III Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita.
Couton, 27, won 60 races in France and was a leader at Deauville two years ago, according to Powell. "He came here last year to work for Patrick Biancone and became my exercise rider in October after Biancone was suspended," said Powell of Couton, who won with his second stateside mount. The victory may stimulate more business for Couton, who tacks 110 pounds.
WORLDLY WORKS FOR RETURN
Worldly, winner of the Will Rogers Stakes and Cinema Handicap on the turf here last year, neared a return to the races with a six-furlong work in 1:17.20 on the grass here Thursday.
"That's his first three-quarters," said trainer Ben Cecil of the English-bred, gray-roan gelding. "He ran dull in his last start in the Hollywood Derby (in November) and Dr. Ted Simpson took both splint bones out afterward. We kept him in the barn, and he returned to training in late January. We're looking for a return here in late May."
Cecil also said Missit, an English import who won the Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita in her stateside bow, is being pointed to the Honeymoon Handicap for 3-year-old fillies on turf June 7. "We hope she's an American Oaks filly," said Cecil of the $750,000, Grade I test on July 5 that would follow with a good Honeymoon effort.
BEJARANO AIMS TO STAY ON TOP
Jockey Rafael Bejarano, beginning his first full Hollywood Park meet following a riding title at Santa Anita, hopes to remain number one.
The 25-year-old native of Peru, who shifted his tack to California from the East during the Autumn Meet here, began with one opening-day victory.
"He likes it here," said agent Joe Ferrer Thursday of Bejarano's move to California. "I was just checking the trainer standings and see that I ride for all of the top ten. That's a good feeling."
FINISH LINES - Trainer Jim Cassidy said Diamond Diva, winner of the $110,800 Wilshire Handicap Wednesday, would be pointed to the $750,000 CashCall Mile July 5. Richard Baltas, trainer of runner-up Kris' Sis, said, "I was proud of her. She just got beat by a better horse. Cassidy's filly may be something special."…Jockey Victor Espinoza seeks his second straight Harry Henson Stakes victory Friday night aboard Sky Cape after winning last year on Hurry Home Warren…Alonso Quinonez will ride Grade I Santa Monica Handicap winner Intangaroo for trainer Gary Sherlock in the Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 3...Steward Scott Chaney caught his breath in time to start the meet here after finishing 561st in the Boston Marathon Monday in a time of 2 hours and 52 minutes. Chaney, 35, began running marathons two years ago…New Export, one of six Bobby Frankel-trained nominees for the $100,000-added Inglewood Handicap on turf May 3, worked four furlongs on Cushion Track in :48.80. The Brazilian-bred finished third in the 2006 race...Charmo, runner-up in the 2006 Shoemaker Mile, worked a bullet five furlongs in 57.80 on Cushion Track for the Julio Canani stable.
