Hollywood Park: Grandeur alters tactics to take Hollywood Turf Cup

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Grandeur was left with too much to do in the stretch of the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Betfair Hollywood Park on Nov. 25, closing from last in a field of 14 to finish second to Unbridled Command.

Jockey Garrett Gomez opted for different tactics in Saturday’s $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, with a more favorable result.

Gomez kept Grandeur in fifth place for the first mile. His mount rallied wide on the turn and held off a threat from the 29-1 shot Interaction to win by three-quarters of a length. Grandeur ($5.20) ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:27.95.

Grandeur was never farther than five lengths behind the pace of 24.90 and 49.12 seconds, first set by Optimizer and then by Slim Shadey. Gomez did a touch of steering at the end of the backstretch, choosing a horse to follow before finding clear room in early stretch.

“I thought the pace would suit him a little bit,” Gomez said. “He got a little Americanized in the last race.

“I thought of staying in behind Slim Shadey, but I didn’t like that option. That’s when I found a way out.”

Interaction, the winner of the prestigious Carlos Pellegrini in South America in 2009, closed from seventh, and finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of Optimizer.

Joe Talamo rode Interaction, and was left impressed by his mount and the winner.

“He ran a winning race,” Talamo said of Interaction. “He just got outrun. That’s a nice horse that won, a future superstar for a 3-year-old.”

Slim Shadey faded to finish fourth, and was followed by Fire With Fire, Bourbon Bay, Tiz Gianni, Grassy, Kindergarden Kid, and Private Affair in the field of 10.

The Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup was Grandeur’s second stakes win in California this fall. He won the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Nov. 2. For the Twilight and Hollywood derbies, Grandeur was trained by Jeremy Noseda, who had the gelding in his stable in England earlier this year.

For Saturday’s Turf Cup, California trainer Paddy Gallagher saddled Grandeur.

Owner Yvonne Jacques of England said after Saturday’s race that Grandeur would return to Noseda’s stable in England, with the goal of a start in Dubai in late March.

Bred in Ireland, Grandeur is by Verglas and has won 6 of 12 starts and $398,438.