Hollywood Park notes: Awesome Gem to be paraded

Shigeki Kikkawa

Awesome Gem will remain with his stable as a pony in the mornings.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Awesome Gem, who won the 2010 Hollywood Gold Cup in a career that stretched from 2006 until his retirement earlier this year, will be paraded between races on Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park.

A winner of 11 of 52 starts and $2,881,370, Awesome Gem was based at Hollywood Park for much of his career. Trained by Craig Dollase for West Point Thoroughbreds partnership, Awesome Gem is scheduled to appear on the track between the fourth and fifth races.

Through the day, there will be drawings for Awesome Gem memorabilia, including a saddle towel and a set of West Point silks autographed by his regular rider, David Flores.

Flores and Dollase will sign Awesome Gem posters from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Dollase said on Thursday that Awesome Gem will remain with his stable as a pony in the mornings.

“The horse loves people,” Dollase said.

Import wins U.S. debut

Qaraaba made a successful American debut in an optional claimer on Thursday, leading trainer Simon Callaghan to pronounce the 5-year-old mare as a candidate for the $150,000 Robert Frankel Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 30.

In Thursday’s race, Qaraaba closed from last in a field of seven to win the race over 1 1/16 miles on turf by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Julien Leparoux.

“It was a good introduction,” Callaghan said. “The key was to get her to relax. She did it like we hoped she would.

“We’ll give her a little break and point for the Frankel.”

Owned by Michael Tabor and Alice Bamford, Qaraaba has never run in a group or graded stakes. Her wins in England were in minor races