Hollywood Park: Horizontalyspeakin tries to carry speed nine furlongs

NGLEWOOD, Calif. – Horizontalyspeakin gets awfully brave when allowed to cruise on the lead. Both of his wins, against maidens and in a first-level allowance race, came when he made the top without being challenged, allowing him to lead from start to finish.

He also has failed to go on with it when given that scenario before. But he comes off the best race of his career and has had plenty of rest since his last start, all of which should make him a formidable presence in Friday’s $52,000 featured seventh race on the Betfair Hollywood Park turf.

Horizontalyspeakin beat allowance runners last time out at Santa Anita on Oct. 27 going a flat mile. He stretches out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time Friday, but has a strong series of works coming into the race and “keeps getting better and better,” according to his trainer, John Sadler.

“He’s one of those horses who has a very high-cruising speed,” Sadler said Wednesday morning. “If the pace scenario is good, he’ll be fine. The question is a mile and an eighth.”

Eight are entered in the second-level optional $62,500 claimer. The only horse in for a tag is Holladay Road, who was beaten when in for a $40,000 price in a lower-level optional claimer last time out.

The primary worry for Horizontalyspeakin could come from the horse just inside of him, Olympic Blue, a pro who has won 7 of 12 starts and usually races near the lead, though he doesn’t have the natural early speed of Horizontalyspeakin. Olympic Blue was second at this level going 1 1/16 miles Nov. 9, a race in which Power Foot finished third and Mr T Bird was sixth.

Power Foot was making his first start in more than six months.

“He should improve off it,” trainer Richard Mandella said.

Empty Headed, who won a first-level allowance Nov. 17, is coming back seven days after finishing sixth against better competition to what he will face Friday. He had won three of his last four starts before last week’s race.

His last race was “disappointing,” trainer Barry Abrams said.

“He usually makes a run, but he broke poorly and then didn’t try,” Abrams said. “It didn’t take much out of him, so I thought I’d run him right back.”

Monastic is seeking his first win in 25 months, but comes off a series of good efforts at Arlington and Keeneland.