Dianehill can be excused for debacle in Texas marsh

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dianehill, who placed in two graded stakes in April, can give trainer Brian Lynch his first winner of the Hollywood Park meeting in Saturday's $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes.

The Grade 3 Royal Heroine, run over a mile on turf, is one of two stakes for females on Saturday, a program that includes the $100,000 Bel Air Handicap.

The $100,000 Landaluce Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, a grade 3 over six furlongs, is the third race.

Dianehill ran a winning race in the Grade 3 Wilshire Handicap on April 29, but finished second by 1 3/4 lengths to Tranquility Lake. In her 2001 debut, Dianehill was third in the Las Cienegas Handicap at Santa Anita. Most recently, the 5-year-old Dianehill ran in the WinStar Distaff Handicap at Lone Star Park on May 28, but could not handle the soft turf course.

"Her form up until the Texas race was solid," Lynch said. "We got stuck on that dreadful turf course and she didn't take to it. I think they got three inches of rain the day before and it was marshy.

"I've had a struggling meeting and I'm hoping to burst the bubble with her. She's always liked Hollywood Park."

Dianehill breaks from post 6 in the field of eight and is is likely to stalk pacesetters La Ronge and Southern House, both of whom won their last start in allowance races.

Trainer Ron McAnally starts Kaliatiara, an Australian import who has won 7 of 11 starts. Janet, who breaks from post 5 and will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, will be favored.

Trained by Darrell Vienna, Janet won the Grade 3 Yerba Buena Breeders' Cup Handicap over 1 3/8 miles on turf at Golden Gate Fields on May 12, but was third in the Sheepshead Bay Handicap over the same distance on dirt at Belmont Park on June 2. The Royal Heroine distance should not be a problem for Janet, who won the restricted Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita over a mile last October.

Heavy fave in Landaluce

Georgia's Storm is a standout in the Landaluce Stakes, which is run over six furlongs.

Trained by Eduardo Inda, Georgia's Storm won the Cinderella Stakes at 4-5 on June 9 and figures to be a similar price in the Landaluce Stakes.

"She was perfect the other day," Inda said. "This is a great spot."

The undefeated Miss Jeanne Cat, the winner of the Time to Leave Stakes at Bay Meadows on June 9; Respectful, who was third in the Cinderella; and recent maiden winners Ile de France, Roaring Blaze, Siphina, and Who Loves Aleyna oppose Georgia's Storm.