Hollywood Park: Quick Enough comes quickly from Dubai for California Gold Rush Day

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Four weeks after Quick Enough finished eighth of 16 in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, the 7-year-old gelding will be back in action in Saturday’s $125,000 Tiznow Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The journey to the other side of the world and a race there does not deter trainer Doug O’Neill from trying Quick Enough in the Tiznow, which is run over 7 1/2 furlongs and is part of the California Gold Rush Day for statebreds.

He has done this before. In 2004, Excessivepleasure finished third in the $1 million Godolphin Mile in Dubai and returned four weeks later to finish second in the Tiznow.

A second-place finish may be all that Quick Enough can accomplish. The Tiznow Stakes is led by Amazombie, who won the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes at Santa Anita on April 3, his second stakes win of the year. Amazombie will be a heavy favorite in the Tiznow, which drew a large field of 12.

O’Neill says that Quick Enough has rebounded from his loss in the Al Quoz Sprint on turf, when he finished 3 1/2 lengths behind the world-class sprinter J J the Jet Plane.

“He had to check a little bit early and didn’t have the best of races,” O’Neill said. “He’s worked twice since then.”

Quick Enough was second in his last start on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track synthetic surface, the Miles Tyson Stakes in December. Owned by a partnership, Quick Enough has made three of his four starts this year on turf, with the other race being a sixth to Amazombie in the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita in January.

The Tiznow Stakes is one of four stakes on Saturday’s program worth $125,000 or more. O’Neill will start the favorite, Thirtyfirststreet, in the day’s richest race, the $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds over 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Burns, the winner of an allowance race for statebreds on turf on April 2, is part of a field of seven. Offlee Wild Boys, ninth in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9, also starts.

There are 10 3-year-old fillies in the $125,000 Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles but only one 2011 stakes winner – Irenes Jackpot, who took the Scottsdale Handicap at Turf Paradise on March 19. She must beat Miles Rules, the sharp winner of a six-furlong allowance race on March 17 in her only start this year. Trained by Clifford Sise, Miles Rules will start around two turns for the first time in the Melair.

Ultra Blend, the winner of four stakes in the last year, will be a strong favorite in the $125,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes over 7 1/2 furlongs, which drew eight fillies and mares. Trained by Art Sherman, Ultra Blend has been pointed for the B. Thoughtful since a win in the Valentine Dancer Handicap over a mile on the main track at Santa Anita on Feb. 26.

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