Crowned Dancer best in Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In more ways than one, Crowned Dancer inherited the victory in Sunday's $69,530 Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Making his second start, Crowned Dancer was helped when morning-line favorite Expression was scratched due to colic. In the race, an expected early challenge failed to materialize, allowing Crowned Dancer to take the lead on the turn and scoot away to a five-length win.

"He's so fast, and the other speed didn't turn out to go that fast, so we wound up in front," jockey Alex Solis said.

Crowned Dancer ($4.80) finished five furlongs in 57.86 seconds. Skipping Stars, who was fifth early, finished second, a length in front of Fabulous World.

Royal Place, the 7-5 favorite, finished fourth, followed by Badgerup, Shoeco City and Goodbye Earl.

Skipping Stars, Fabulous World and Goodbye Earl raced as an entry owned by Barbara and Jerry Dutton and were sent off at 5-2.

Crowned Dancer had finished second behind Expression in a maiden race on May 8 and was one of three maidens in the Proctor field.

Trained by Christopher Paasch for Charlie and Karen Cono, Crowned Dancer was bought for $225,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale 2-year-olds in training sale in March.