Two favorites appear for real

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The game looks easy Sunday at Hollywood Park, where both $75,000 stakes for 2-year-olds include rock-solid favorites.

Backbackbackgone will flirt with even money in race 3, the Willard Proctor Memorial, and second-start maiden Trifecta King will be well bet against fillies in race 8, the Cinderella. At 5 1/2 furlongs, both races are basic tests of speed.

Backbackbackgone won his debut by 10 lengths on May 11 at Bay Meadows, winning geared down.

"I don't want to sound overconfident, but he's as a good a 2-year-old as I've ever had," trainer Peter Miller said.

The Beyer Speed Figure of 85 earned by Backbackbackgone is highest of the 125 Miller-trained juvenile starters in the past five years. It also is fast enough to win the Proctor. In the past decade, only one Proctor winner entered with a higher number. Squirtle Squirt earned a Beyer Figure of 91 in his maiden win in 2000. He won the Breeders' Cup Sprint the following year.

Other contenders include Fassnacht and Jack Flash. Fassnacht finished a troubled third first out, while Jack Flash won via disqualification April 23 in a race that produced two next-start winners (Seismometer and Granite).

Aromatica, a filly, entered the Proctor rather than the Cinderella because trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis believes the Proctor is an easier race. "Both races are tough, but I think the fillies are better," Dupuis said. Aromatica beat colts first out at two furlongs.

The race-strength analysis is debatable, but the Cinderella undeniably is more appealing to bettors. And if Trifecta King improves off her May 15 debut, she can win it. Doug O'Neill trains Trifecta King, who finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Cosmic Queen, the most impressive 2-year-old of the meet.

The median winning Beyer the past decade in the Cinderella is 80, and Trifecta King earned a 76. Close enough. Trifecta King is by first-crop sire Peace Rules, while maiden winner Atka is by leading spring-summer 2-year-old sire Swiss Yodeler.

Mike Harrington trains Atka, who crushed maidens in visually impressive style April 30. She drew off by 3 1/2 lengths with a 75 Beyer. The race was validated Wednesday when fourth-place finisher Listisimo returned to win.

Call Aly enters with the highest number, an 81 Beyer earned May 14 in a $40,000 maiden-claiming race that she won by more than six. Upper Manhattan won her debut despite racing greenly; Makasi should improve second time out.

The 2-year-old stakes on Sunday lead to the $100,000 Landaluce for fillies on June 28, and the Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile on July 5.