Outside draw benefits High Standards

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After battling through a fast pace and finishing third in the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap on May 10, High Standards may have an easier trip in Friday's $62,000 King Glorious Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Once again, he is likely to face off against Sailors Sunset, who "won" their duel in the L.A. Handicap and ended up finishing second to Street Boss. But this time, High Standards is drawn on the outside of the pair in a race not as deep as the last one.

Being outside of a rival front-runner has trainer Marty Jones hopeful that High Standards can win his first stakes since the 2005 San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita.

"I don't know if I'm more confident, but I like the post better," Jones said. "He ran really well the other day. He got pressure all the way."

High Standards and Sailors Sunset are in a seven-horse field in the King Glorious at 6 1/2 furlongs for horses that have not won a stakes worth $60,000 or more to the winner since July 1.

High Standards, 6, is winless in three starts since an optional claimer here in December, which was his first start in more than 15 months. Sailors Sunset, 5, is winless in five starts for trainer Marcelo Polanco since the 2007 Los Angeles Handicap.

The King Glorious also marks the comeback of two stakes winners - Jungle Prince and Northern Soldier. Jungle Prince, 7, has not started since winning the Grade 3 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap here in November 2006. He has been off so long that he has never run on a synthetic track, only trained on such a surface.

Northern Soldier was sidelined after finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar last July. Trained by Brian Koriner, Northern Soldier was third in the 2007 Los Angeles Handicap.

"He's doing well," Koriner said. "I don't know if he's that kind of horse still. There are no condition races and that leaves this about the only spot to run."

El Manuel was scratched from the Grade 3 Ack Ack Handicap last weekend by trainer Mike Puype, in favor of this race. El Manuel breaks from the outside post. He finished fourth in the L.A. Handicap after racing well off the pace in the opening furlongs.

"It's a much better race," Puype said of the King Glorious. "There's some speed to run at and he's drawn well. It's a good spot compared to what he was in last week."