Trainer Doug O'Neill said Wednesday in Barn 63 North that Lava Man remained on schedule in quest of a record fourth straight Hollywood Gold Cup victory June 28 after a third-place finish in the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes Sunday in his season debut.
"He came back in good shape and looks fantastic," said O'Neill of the 7-year-old gelding. "I thought he ran big off his first layoff. Obviously I thought he would win but I thought he ran game. He came back blowing pretty good, a good sign that he needed the race."
Lava Man equaled the record of three Gold Cup victories set by Native Diver when he won the $750,000 test at 1¼ miles last year.
O'Neill was elated with a victory by 33-to-1 longshot Harlene, a maiden, in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes, the richest race on the $1.3-million Cal National Gold Rush card.
"I've been high on him quite a while and he disappointed us a few times but he picked a great time to show what he could do," said O'Neill after the come-from-behind triumph at 1 1/8 miles under Michael Baze.
"It had been challenging to keep weight on this horse," said O'Neill of the light-framed gelding. "The foreman and groom have done a good job staying on top of him to eat up good at night from the O'Neill kitchen."
O'Neill said he is considering the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown on May 31 for Harlene's next start.
Trainer Jorge Gutierrez was ecstatic in Barn 73 East after Mr. Wolverine captured the Khaled, overtaking defending champion Epic Power and 2006 winner Lava Man with a powerful stretch kick from third.
"They didn't show the times on the board so I didn't know what was going on but Michael (jockey Michael Baze) apparently did," mused Gutierrez. "I could see his ears
pricked when he made his move from third, and I thought he was going to come and get them.
"Lava Man might have needed a race, and I'm not going to take anything away from him, but I felt if I had a shot at beating him, this would be the time," said Gutierrez of the 6-year-old gelding. "I plan to keep Mr. Wolverine on turf although I'm not sure what race will be next."
Gutierrez, who has been training for ten years, continued his greatest success in Cal-bred stakes, the Khaled joining a victory by Bartok's Blithe in the 2003 Melair Stakes and Sip One for Mom upsetting Moscow Burning in the Solana Beach Handicap at Del Mar.
Trainer Barry Abrams savored a Gold Rush double by Spenditallbaby in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful and Bel Air Sizzle via disqualification in the $200,000 Melair. Both fillies are by his outstanding stallion Unusual Heat.
"If we get some 'unsual heat' here Friday like we had at Hollywood Park Sunday (where there was a 90-degree heat wave), we'll be in good shape," quipped Abrams by phone from Churchill Downs in Louisville, where he was putting the final touches on Golden Doc A for Friday's Kentucky Oaks, in which she drew the rail in a field of 12.
Abrams said he had no immediate plans for Spenditallbaby but considered the Senorita Stakes on the turf May 10 for Bel Air Sizzle and the Railbird Stakes on May 11 for unbeaten Lethal Heat, a second filly he wanted to run in the Melair but was left out because of a mix-up at entry time.
Trainer John Sadler said Tutta Bella, winner of the $150,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes, could return in the Redondo Beach Stakes on June 7.
Trainer Ted H. West was thrilled with an upset victory by Stella Mark, a recent $50,000 claim, in his stakes debut in the $150,000 Tiznow Stakes. "Most likely, he will come back in the Ack Ack Handicap (at the same 7½-furlong distance June 7)," said West from Santa Anita. "Or the Lone Star Handicap (May 26 in Texas). One of the two."
RIVOLTELLA POISED FOR HAWTHORNE SURPRISE
Trainer Richard Matlow looks for radical improvement by Rivoltella in the $100,000-added Hawthorne Handicap, a Grade III test for fillies and mares on Cushion Track here Sunday.
In her last start March 15, Rivoltella finished eighth, beaten by 15 lengths in a Sunland Park stakes race won by Tough Tiz's Sis, the 121-pound high weight and probable favorite in the Hawthorne.
Rivoltella could be the longest shot in a small field under 114 pounds.
"She bled in her last race during a real windy day at Sunland Park, and she has been training real good since," explained Matlow of his optimism.
Rivoltella, a 4-year-old filly owned by George Todaro, has won three of nine starts. She broke her maiden here at 1 1/16 miles in her third try last June, won the Washington Oaks at Emerald Downs in August and captured the Kachina Handicap at Turf Paradise in January.
Rivoltella has reeled off a series of strong works here, including six furlongs in 1:11.80 April 12, seven furlongs in 1:25.60 April 19 and six furlongs in 1:12.60 April 26. Richard Migliore will ride the filly for the first time.
Tough Tiz's Sis, trained by Bob Baffert, will be ridden by Aaron Gryder, who guided her to victory in the Hollywood Oaks last June. She later captured the Grade I Lady's Secret Handicap at Santa Anita.
A contentious lineup is also expected to include La Canada Stakes winner Dawn After Dawn, Santa Lucia Handicap winner Santa Teresita and Las Flores Handicap runner-up Glorified.
The probable lineup: Tough Tiz's Sis, Gryder, 121 pounds; Dawn After Dawn, Victor Espinoza, 117; Santa Teresita, Joseph Talamo, 117; Glorified, Rafael Bejarano, 116, and Rivoltella, Migliore, 114. Fleetheart (114) heads a short list of possibles.
MIGLIORE BUSY ON KENTUCKY SHUTTLE
Jockey Richard Migliore is racking up the frequent flier miles between California and Kentucky. The veteran rode here Sunday and flew to Louisville Sunday night to work Kentucky Derby hopeful Bob Black Jack on Monday morning.
"It was a good maintenance work," said Migliore in the stable area Wednesday. "I worked him at 9:30 and was back on a plane here at 11."
Migliore hopes Bob Black Jack, the only California-bred in the lineup, draws a favorable post Wednesday afternoon in the 134th Derby, for which he will return in his fifth Derby attempt. His best finish was a fifth aboard Wheelaway in 2000.
Three other locally-based jockeys will also ride in the Derby: Corey Nakatani aboard Santa Anita Derby winner and CashCall Futurity runner-up Colonel John; Mike Smith aboard Arkansas Derby winner Gayego; and Rafael Bejarano aboard Anak Nikal.
Bejarano will also be aboard Hollywood Starlet winner Country Star in the Kentucky Oaks, which will be simulcast here Friday afternoon.
TIMES' MIESZERSKI JOINS HOOVER SATURDAY ON "THE INSIDE SCOOP"
Bob Mieszerski, racing writer and handicapper for The Los Angeles Times, will be Kurt Hoover's special guest on "The Inside Scoop" for Saturday's Kentucky Derby Day program.
Hoover, one of horse racing's most respected commentators, is Hollywood Park's inter-track host. He is a regular on HRTV and has also covered the Triple Crown races for ESPN.
Hoover and Mieszerski will analyze the Kentucky Derby, other major simulcasts from Churchill Downs, and the Hollywood Park program. The Inside Scoop will begin at 11 a.m., one hour prior to post time for the first race at Hollywood Park.
EARLY GATES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR OAKS/DERBY PROGRAMS
Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday at Hollywood Park as the track will import the full program each day from Churchill Downs, featuring the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
First import will be at 8 a.m. each day. First live post at Hollywood Park on Friday is 1:20 p.m. On Saturday, first live post is at 12 noon.
FINISH LINES - Trainer Mike Mitchell said Bilo was scratched from the Tiznow Stakes Sunday in favor of waiting for the six-furlong Los Angeles Handicap on May 10 and that Monzante, who never threatened as the favorite in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap Saturday, would be transferred to turf for his next start…Trainer Carla Gaines said Lucky J.H., winner of the Tiznow two years ago, was scratched from the race because of a quarter crack…Trainer Barry Abrams said Lightmyfirebaby was scratched from the Fran's Valentine Sunday after she "tied up" (cramped) that morning…Declan's Moon, 2-year-old champion in 2004, worked five furlongs in a bullet :58.60 for trainer Ron Ellis while unbeaten filly Zenyatta drilled the same distance in :59.80 for trainer John Shirreffs.
