Hollywood Dreams tries to find spark again in return to home track

In 18 starts at Northlands Park, Hollywood Dreams has compiled an excellent 7-3-3 record that includes four stakes wins. Away from his home base, Hollywood Dreams hasn’t finished better than fifth in six starts.

He should be happy to be back at his home track when he runs in a $25,000 optional-claiming race for 3-year-olds and up at Northlands on Saturday. The six-furlong sprint attracted seven horses, but if Hollywood Dreams is on top of his game, he’ll be tough to beat.

That is a big “if” considering Hollywood Dreams was particularly dull in his three starts at Turf Paradise for trainer Glenda McDermott this winter. In his last start in Arizona, he was basically eased after contesting the early pace. Since returning to trainer Dean Martiniuk’s care at Northlands, Hollywood Dreams has trained forwardly and may have tipped his hand when he worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:01 last Sunday.

Hollywood Dreams was a strong performer for Martiniuk at the end of the 2013 Northlands meet, winning the $50,360 Red Dial Express for Alberta-breds for the third straight year and finishing second in a $35,000 optional-claiming race on closing day.

Scott Williams will be aboard Hollywood Dreams for the first time since he guided the son of Ministers Wild Cat to a front-running win in the 2012 Red Dial Express.

Yes He’s Trouble also has won seven races in his career – six at Hastings – and in his first start at Northlands, he easily handled Bobby Handy in a $12,500 claiming race June 13. Bobby Handy validated the race when he came right back to win a $12,500 claiming race Wednesday night.

Trained by Cindy Cummins, Yes He’s Trouble can stalk, and if Hollywood Dreams and Mia’s Miracle hook up early, he could pick up the pieces.

Mia’s Miracle looked good in winning a similar race for trainer Monica Russell on May 24 and then faded after contesting the pace for the same condition going 6 1/2 furlongs June 7. He was haltered out of the race by trainer Ron Grieves, who over the past five years has a 20 percent strike rate with claimed horses running back the first time, according to DRF ’s Formulator.

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Risky Call could be dangerous from a stalking position. Trained by Joan Petrowski, Risky Call rallied to win at this level in his first start this year but couldn’t keep up when he ran in a $35,000 optional-claiming race June 14.