Hollywood: Broken Dreams returns to turf in Great Lady M.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Broken Dreams returns Sunday to her preferred surface – grass – in the $70,000 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at Hollywood Park.

With only five entrants and minimal wagering appeal, Hollywood opted to get the six-furlong turf race out of the way early. The Great Lady M. goes as the first race on a nine-race card. Broken Dreams is not the only filly or mare back on her best footing.

Separate Forest, who bombed May 1 as the favorite in a main-track stakes, also returns to grass. She carries 122 pounds; Broken Dreams carries 116. Good news for both is that Unzip Me, the top turf sprint filly in California, will pass. Other starters Sunday include Givine, Lunar Mist, and claimer Ultra Awesome.

Tom Proctor trains Broken Dreams, runner-up behind Unzip Me twice during winter at Santa Anita. Broken Dreams switched to dirt April 2 in the Grade 3 Las Flores and was eased after pressing the pace. Proctor gave her a two-month break and removes blinkers for the Great Lady M. Broken Dreams, with three wins and five seconds from 11 starts, should get a great trip sitting second under Garrett Gomez.

Separate Forest should set the pace. Claimed by Doug O’Neill for $25,000 in January, she went straight up the ladder racing on the unique Santa Anita hillside course. She won a $40,000 claimer − only to be disqualified from purse money for a medication violation − a first-level allowance two starts later, then upset Unzip Me in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas.

O’Neill was out of options when the spring-summer meet at Hollywood began, so he tried her on Cushion Track in the Time to Leave Stakes. Separate Forest finished last. Back on grass Sunday, Separate Forest is likely to set the pace under Pat Valenzuela.

The question for Separate Forest is whether she will run as well on the Hollywood turf as she did at Santa Anita. Considering her active recent campaign, top weight, and unknown form on the local course, she could be vulnerable.

◗ Race 3 on Sunday features two promising 3-year-olds trained by Bob Baffert. Smash finished second in a highly rated allowance May 6; Hoorayforhollywood won a fast maiden race in January before he was sidelined with a foot issue. Those two will attract most of the wagering support in the first-level allowance for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs.