Hollywood Park: Rowdy Gal gets tryout for Santa Ynez Stakes
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Three optional claimers at Hollywood Park on Wednesday could offer clues for stakes races at the upcoming Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
The Hollywood Park autumn meeting begins its final week Wednesday and ends Sunday. The Santa Anita winter-spring meeting has its traditional opening day Dec. 26.
Wednesday’s second race at Hollywood Park is an optional claimer over six furlongs on turf for 2-year-old fillies. The race could serve as a prep for the $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 15.
Rowdy Gal, a sharp three-length winner of a maiden race in her debut Nov. 20, has drawn the rail in a field of five. Rowdy Gal is trained by John Sadler, who also starts One Magical Girl, a well-beaten fourth in the California Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Oct. 29.
Woebegon takes a drop in class after losing three consecutive stakes. Trained by Peter Miller, Woebegon was fourth of five in the Moccasin Stakes here Nov. 20, fading in the final furlong to finish 4 1/2 lengths behind Made to Love Her.
Woebegon has drawn the outside post and has sufficient speed to be well-placed throughout for jockey Joe Talamo. All five of the fillies are making their first starts on turf, although rain earlier in the week could force a surface transfer.
The fifth race is an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles that could produce a few starters for the $150,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies on Jan. 22.
So Belle, third in the Providencia Stakes in April and the winner of an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Nov. 3, makes her first career start on a synthetic track. Trained by Ben Cecil, So Belle has won 2 of 7 starts in England and California on turf.
So Belle is a closer who must beat two fillies and mares trained by Bob Baffert – Star Presence and Toro Bonito. Star Presence won an optional claimer Nov. 24, Toro Bonito has not started since a second at Del Mar on Aug. 4.
There are six statebred female sprinters in the seventh race, an optional claimer over six furlongs.
Hello Sugar, a 4-year-old filly, makes her second start after a 13-month layoff and has drawn the outside post. Trained by Marty Jones, Hello Sugar was fifth behind stablemate Tiz Flirtatious on Oct. 29. Tiz Flirtatious won Sunday’s Cat’s Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park.