 |
Millionaire Sweet Return captured the 2003 Hollywood Derby (G1)
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) |
A field of nine has been entered in Saturday’s $350,000 Charles Whittingham
Memorial H. (G1) at Hollywood Park, and three in the field will be trying to
improve upon their placings in the 10-furlong turf event from last year. Of the
trio, JUST WONDER (GB) (Hernando [Fr]) did the best, running third by only three
parts of a length. The Laura de Seroux-trained five-year-old hasn’t visited the
winner’s circle since taking the Cinema Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) in late July of
2003, and most recently ran third in the Inglewood H. (G3) over the turf. He’s
been assigned 114 pounds and will be ridden by Rene Douglas.
VANGELIS (Highest Honor [Fr]) broke up a string of four straight Grade 1
races when trying the Jim Murray Memorial H. (G3) last out in his 2005 bow.
Conditioned by Bobby Frankel, the French import made his U.S. debut in last
year’s Charles Whittingham Memorial, finishing fourth, prior to nice runs in the
Eddie Read H. (G1), Arlington Million (G1) and Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf
Championship S. (G1). The six-year-old gray will have Patrick Valenzuela.
Grade 1 victor CONTINUOUSLY (Diesis [GB]) was sixth in this event 12 months ago, then just
missed by a nose in the Sunset H. (G2). He made his six-year-old debut last out,
finishing sixth in a Santa Anita turf allowance, and gives Frankel a
second runner in this test. Also entered are Grade 1 winners SWEET RETURN
(GB) (Elmaamul), SARAFAN (Lear Fan) and PELLEGRINO (Brz) (Nugget Point [Ire]).
The complete field for the Charles Whittingham Memorial, with riders and
weights, is Sarafan, Victor Espinoza, 118; Pellegrino, David Flores, 116; Sweet
Return, Alex Solis, 119; RED FORT (Ire) (Green Desert), Corey Nakatani, 117;
DEPUTY LAD (Mecke), Tyler Baze, 113; Vangelis, 118; STANLEY PARK (Swain [Ire]),
Jose Valdivia Jr., 118; Just Wonder; Continuously, Garrett Gomez, 114.
|
