Starkay may run on short rest
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Already a winner of two allowance races for turf sprinters in the last month, Starkay will try for her third win of the Hollywood Park meeting in Friday evening's $62,000 Exotic Wood Stakes - if trainer Roger Stein decides to start her.
Wednesday, when entries were taken, Stein hesitated slightly to commit the 5-year-old Starkay, who won a $51,000 allowance race last Sunday.
"My only concern is she usually bounces out of her races on her toes, and she's been sort of quiet," Stein said. "If she's doing well on Friday morning, we'll run. I'm 75-25 to run."
was imported from New Zealand last winter. In four starts in this country, she has never been worse than fourth, and has been most effective at Hollywood Park. She won a $49,000 allowance race on May 5 by two lengths and Sunday's race by a half-length.
Starkay has five opponents in the Exotic Wood, run over 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. The race is restricted to fillies and mares that have not won a first-place purse of $40,000 this year.
Starkay led in both her recent wins, but Stein would like to see her stalking a rival on Friday.
"I know we keep catching fields when she wants to go to the front," he said. "She's much better if she can follow something. She's a sit-and-sprint horse."
Stein also entered Navaja, who has not started since finishing fourth in the Tuzla Handicap at Santa Anita in January. Navaja won an allowance race over 1 1/8 miles on turf here in November.
"Sprinting really isn't her game," Stein said.
has won her last two starts, both stakes at Turf Paradise this spring. Two of her six wins have come in turf sprints.
Trained by Eric Kruljac, Fun'ngames Toknite is trying to become the third Turf Paradise shipper to win a stakes at this meeting, joining Virden (Senorita) and Kresgeville (Manhattan Beach).
has won three turf sprints this year - two races on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita and an allowance race here on May 4. Trained by Jenine Sahadi, Getthepartystarted won a stakes at Emerald Downs in September 2003.
Very Vegas, a three-time stakes winner, was third in the restricted Tuzla Stakes over 5 1/2 furlongs here on May 6. She is winless in her last five starts.