Round Table distance suits Porfido

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The longest turf stakes at Hollywood Park may be what Porfido needs to win his first stakes in the United States.

In April, Porfido finished third in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap over about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita. He is back in Saturday's $75,000 Round Table Handicap over 1 3/4 miles on turf at Hollywood Park, a race that has drawn a weaker field.

Porfido is the 119-pound highweight in the Round Table, which has eight entrants, including the Grade 1 winner Boboman. Porfido is having the best year of any horse in the race, with a victory in an optional claimer at Santa Anita in January and placings in two stakes. He was second, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Handicap over 1 1/2 miles on turf at Santa Anita in March.

Humberto Ascanio, assistant trainer to Bobby Frankel, thinks that Porfido could have been second in the San Juan Capistrano without traffic in the stretch.

"I think he could have run second the other day, but he got in a little trouble," Ascanio said. "He doesn't have a big kick."

Owned by Sumaya Us Stables, Porfido has won 8 of 28 starts and $456,658. He won the 2005 Chilean Derby before joining Frankel's stable in early 2006.

The 2006 season was the best of Boboman's career, the year he won the Grade 1 Hollywood Turf Cup. Trained by Richard Mandella, Boboman, 7, is winless in six subsequent starts, including a third in the Bay Meadows Handicap on turf on April 26.

Boboman's losses since the Hollywood Turf Cup include a third in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in 2007. The losing streak has frustrated Mandella.

"He's always coming on late in the dirt races," he said. "I keep thinking he'll run his good race."

The Round Table will be the first stakes appearance in 16 months for Wild Buddy, who will be making the 66th start of his career. A 9-year-old gelding, Wild Buddy is expected to set the pace. He finished second in a $50,000 claimer over 1 1/8 miles on turf on May 25.

Transduction Gold is making his California stakes debut.

Trained and co-owned by John Glenney, Transduction Gold was second in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap over 1 1/2 miles on turf at Churchill Downs on May 24.