Bad streak could end in this spot
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Ten Downing Street has lost all 12 of his starts since arriving from England in the winter of 2005-06. During that span, he has won more than $70,000 and finished second in five races.
But bettors might be willing to give Ten Downing Street another chance in a $49,000 allowance race at six furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park on Friday. The race is the seventh on an eight-race program.
Owned by Don Van Racing and Goldshoe Investments and trained by Jim Cassidy, Ten Downing Street will be ridden by apprentice jockey Joe Talamo, the third different rider for the 4-year-old gelding in as many starts.
In his last start, Ten Downing Street led to the final furlong of a similar race on April 28 and lost by three-quarters of a length to Iza General.
The race was typical of Ten Downing Street's style in the last year. He often sets the pace early, but falters late. During his U.S. career, he has lost two races by a nose at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf and was beaten a half-length in another.
Sometimes, Ten Downing Street goes too fast for his own good. In an allowance race on Santa Anita's hillside turf course on March 10, he set blistering fractions of 20.83 and 42.80 seconds and understandably faded to finish sixth.
The pace will not be that quick on Friday, but it should be fast. Red State and Queen's Image, second in their last starts in similar fields, also figure to be part of the pace.
Red State, to be ridden by leading jockey Michael Baze, has not started since losing by a length on the hillside turf course on April 5. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Red State is winless in two starts on turf.
Queen's Image has made one start this year, losing by three-quarters of a length in an allowance race at six furlongs on turf here May 18. Last year, the gelding won 3 of 5 starts, including a lowly $16,000 claimer at Hollywood Park. The May 18 race was his first start since finishing third in an optional claimer at a mile on turf at Del Mar last August.
The only member of the six-horse field coming off a win is Rapid Silver, but there are questions about his class. He won a $25,000 maiden claiming race on March 22 and a starter allowance race on April 20.