Look for Schill to press the pace

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The consistency Schill has displayed since March will catch the eye of bettors scrutinizing Friday's seventh race at Hollywood Park. It could lead to her fourth win in her last five starts.

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At Santa Anita in early spring, Schill won two $50,000 claiming races, a sprint on the main track and a one-mile race on turf. After finishing sixth in an allowance race over a mile on turf at Hollywood Park on May 2, Schill rebounded to win a six-furlong allowance race on turf on May 21.

Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Schill paid $12.60 on May 21. She will not be that high of a price in Friday's race over six furlongs on turf.

Streaking from the outside in a field of seven, Schill is expected to be near the front.

"I think she wants to be up pressing the pace," said Dan Ward, Hollendorfer's assistant. "If you want her to be aggressive, she'll be up there."

A 4-year-old, Schill is one of three fillies in the field who won their last starts. Cosmic Queen, 3, won a first condition allowance race on the main track on June 7 and is making her turf debut on Friday evening.

Forty Dates is seeking her third consecutive win, having won a starter allowance on May 25 and an allowance race against older fillies and mares on June 14, her first start on turf. Forty Dates has finished first or second in all eight of her starts.

"The thing I liked is that she really took to the grass," trainer Doug O'Neill said.

The field includes Onebadkitty, who has won 3 of 9 starts, $171,708, and finished in a dead heat for first in the Valentine Dancer Handicap at Santa Anita in February.

Wednesday, there was some confusion about whether Onebadkitty was eligible. The race is restricted to nonwinners of a first-place purse of $10,000 twice other than maiden, claiming, or starter; nonwinners of three; or horses entered for a $62,500 claiming price.

It was unclear whether Onebadkitty's victory in an optional claimer for statebreds last December would exclude her from starting. Trainer Brian Koriner argued that since statebreds in California retain eligibility for first-condition allowance races against open company after winning optional claimer or allowance races restricted to statebreds, the win should not prohibit her participation. The issue was expected to be discussed by track stewards.