Little Boss Chick fits this spot snugly

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Little Boss Chick starts in an optional claimer at Hollywood Park on Wednesday that is familiar territory for the 5-year-old mare.

During the spring, while returning from a layoff of more than six months, Little Boss Chick started in a second-level allowance race and was beaten only a nose, racing one level about her eligibility. The winner was her stakes-winning stablemate Magnificience.

Little Boss Chick took a drop in class to win a first-condition allowance race at Del Mar by two lengths on July 25. When she starts on Wednesday, against just four opponents, she will be back at the second-level allowance class.

The six-furlong optional $62,500 claimer, run as the fourth race on an eight-race program, will be her second start on turf. Little Boss Chick was third in an allowance race over six furlongs on turf at Hollywood Park last November.

Wednesday, Little Boss Chick's opponents are Christiana's Heat, Flashing Forward, Pretty Carina, and Royal Taat. Each has a chance to win and none was entered for the claiming price.

Flashing Forward, a 4-year-old filly trained by Gary Sherlock, has won her last three starts - a $32,000 claiming race for maidens at Fairplex Park in September, a starter allowance at Santa Anita in October, and a first-condition allowance race over six furlongs here on Nov. 2. The three wins coincide with her being fitted with blinkers.

Pretty Carina has won 2 of 4 starts, the most recent of which was a seven-furlong optional claimer on the main track at Belmont Park on Sept. 19. Pretty Carina won the race by five lengths. Wednesday's race at Hollywood Park will be her first start in California and first on turf.

Christiana's Heat was second in the California Cup Distaff on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Oct. 5 and followed that performance with a victory in a one-mile allowance race on turf there on Oct. 22.

Royal Taat, imported from New Zealand earlier this year, won her last start, an allowance race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Oct. 11. A closer, Royal Taat has drawn the outside post, which could give her an advantage behind speedy rivals such as Little Boss Chick and Pretty Carina.

* In the seventh race, an allowance race over 1o1/16 miles on turf, Kyniska makes her U.S. debut. Now trained by Bobby Frankel, Kyniska has placed in three stakes in Ireland.