Hollywood Park: Wild Rose makes first start for Carava

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The entry of Wild Rose for an optional claimer at Hollywood Park on Friday evening has changed travel plans for all of trainer Jack Carava’s runners this week.

Carava intended to send his 32-horse stable to Del Mar on Tuesday, but after Wild Rose was entered he decided to wait until this weekend before shipping the stable. There is a very good chance the delay will be worthwhile.

Wild Rose makes her second start in the United States in a race over 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares, having finished a troubled second in a similar race June 19. She was claimed that day for $40,000 by Carava on behalf of La Canada Stables.

Carava claimed Wild Rose hoping that the 4-year-old filly’s form on England’s all-weather tracks, where she won four of seven starts, would translate into success on Del Mar’s Polytrack surface. Carava intended to wait for Del Mar to start Wild Rose, but when the first condition book for that meeting was published last week, detailing likely races from Wednesday’s opening day through July 31, he did not find a suitable race.

“It will be interesting to see how she fares off her first race in this country,” Carava said. “She looked like she was useful on the Polytrack over there, and those tracks over there seem to have a Polytrack more like Del Mar.”

In her American debut, Wild Rose was in traffic in early stretch and recovered to finish 3 1/2 lengths behind Toro Bonito. Carava admits there was a gamble in claiming a filly with unproven American form.

“If she would have gotten beat 30 lengths, she might not have been worth $5,000,” he said. “She’s trained good since we’ve had her. She breezed well the other day.”

Wild Rose worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 last Sunday.

In Friday’s race, the seventh on an eight-race program, Wild Rose has drawn the outside post in a field of five.

Awesomemundo, who drew the rail, beat maidens in her last start June 25 and may go favored. She is trained by Bob Baffert, who is on course to win the training title at this meeting.

The other three runners – Downhill Diva, Hopeful Union, and Party With Brando – were beaten in their last starts. Downhill Diva was third in an allowance race over seven furlongs June 24.