INGLEWOOD, Calif. (June 13, 2008) - Two Step Salsa, unbeaten in three sprints on the main track for Everest Stables, will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in Sunday's $100,000 Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park.
The son of Petionville began his career with a pair of wins at Santa Anita Park, then was shifted to turf where he finished second here in April in the Harry Henson Stakes. He came back to win the seven-furlong Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Handicap on Cushion Track in mid-May and will try to improve his record to four-for-five in the Affirmed.
A field of eight is entered in the Grade III event, which will line up as follows from the rail out:
Two Step Salsa, with Martin Pedroza up, carries 119 pounds; Trevor's Clever, Joe Talamo, 115; Exuma, Joel Rosario, 113; Ez Dreamer, Corey Nakatani, 115; Tres Borrachos, Tyler Baze, 116; Bingham, Rafael Bejarano, 114; Dixie Chatter, Richard Migliore, 120, and Wind's Legacy, Jon Court, 113.
Herman Sarkowsky's Dixie Chatter, sidelined seven months due to a series of minor problems following a win in the 2007 Norfolk Stakes, returned to the races in the Barrera, finishing third behind Two Step Salsa. Scratched from the 2007 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Monmouth Park when he came down with the flu, he has won two of five starts while earning a race-high $204,264.
Trevor's Clever, trained by Ted H. West for Oak West Farm, rallied to post a 17-1 upset over highly regarded Madeo in the 1 1/8-mile Alydar Stakes here last month. Fellow Barrera starter Exuma finished 1¼ lengths back in third.
Beau Greely, the trainer of Exuma, also entered Tres Borrachos, who finished ninth in the Preakness. He began the year with a fourth-place finish in the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields and third-place efforts in the El Caminio Real Derby and the Arkansas Derby.
Arizona Border Derby winner Ez Dreamer shifts back to the main track after a third-place finish in the Will Rogers Stakes; Bingham will wear blinkers for the first time after a fourth-place finish in the Alydar, and Wind's Legacy finished fourth in the Barrera.
The 30th running of the Affirmed Handicap will go as the eighth of nine races on Sunday at Hollywood Park. First post is at 1:20 p.m.
