Hollywood Park opens with Friday night card

Ralph Siraco

Wednesday, April 21, 1999 | 10:24 a.m.

The annual changing of the guard in Southern California from winter/spring racing to spring/summer racing takes place on Friday night when Hollywood Park takes the circuit baton from the recently concluded Santa Anita meet for a 66-day stand that runs through Monday, July 19.

Hollywood Park's 60th mid-year session will begin with one of the track's signature Friday night presentations that have been a staple of the Inglewood track for many seasons, but will not return until the final four Fridays (June 25, July 2, 9 & 16) reverting back to matinee cards between the start and end of the meet.

Friday night's curtain raiser will begin with a first post at 7 p.m. The racing schedule will be Wednesday's through Sunday's with first post times at noon except for the five night programs. There will be three additional special Monday racing programs on Memorial Day May 31, Fourth of July weekend on July 5 and the traditional closing day on July 19.

The 66-day meet will feature 52 stakes races with the newly named $400,000 Charlie Whittingham Handicap as the top turf event of the meet. The Grade II 1 1/4 miles event, previously known as the Hollywood Turf Handicap, was renamed to honor the legendary Hall of Fame trainer who has saddled a record 222 stakes winners at Hollywood Park.

The centerpiece of the $9.2 million stakes schedule will once again be the $1 million Hollywood Gold Cup on Sunday, July 27. Hollywood Gold Cup Day will also feature the $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap for older sprinters and the $250,000 A Gleam Handicap for older fillies and mare sprinters. Gold Cup weekend will commence with the $500,000 Vanity Handicap at 1 1/8 miles for the top filly and mare handicap division on Saturday, July 26.

The Hollywood Gold Cup is still two months away but trainer Richard Mandella is already assembling his troops for the big race. The Gold Cup in Inglewood has been a personal showcase for the trainer in recent years. Mandella's dominance of the 1 1/4 miles classic started in 1996 when Brazilian-bred Siphon led gate-to-wire while defeating the favorite Geri.

The following year Mandella staged one of the most remarkable training achievements in the track's history when he started FIVE of the six starters. All were graded stakes winners, so, it was no surprize when he swept the first three placings in the rich event. Gentlemen turned back defending champion stablemate Siphon and barnmate Sandpit who finished 3rd.

Last year's Gold Cup was won by eventual Horse of the Year Skip Away, but, it was Mandella once again producing a strong showing with runner up Puerto Madero and defending champion Gentlemen finishing 3rd.

This year Mandella has a trio of big guns pointing for the Gold Cup that includes 1998 Santa Anita Handicap winner Malek, this year's Santa Anita Handicap runner up Event of the Year and the returning Puerto Madero.

Puerto Madero captured the Grade I Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park earlier this year, Malek is coming off a game second in the $5 million Dubai World Cup and Event of the Year had already garnered the Grade II Strub Stakes before his second to Free House in the Big 'Cap.

Event of the Year will resume his tightening on Kentucky Derby Day at Hollywood Park with a start in the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap while Puerto Madero readies himself in the May 29 Californian at the same track.

Of course, Free House, the nation's number one handicap horse, is also scheduled to compete. The Gold Cup is part of the 'NTRA Champions on Fox' series with Puerto Madero (Donn Handicap) and Free House (Santa Anita Handicap) already points leaders in the series.

Of course, the nation's leading jockey colony will set tack in the Hollywood Park jock's room with David Flores, fresh from the Santa Anita riding championship, Alex Solis and Chris McCarron, fresh from the most recent Hollywood Park titles, and the sport's living legend Laffit Pincay, Jr. among the competition. Pincay, who finished 3rd in the Santa Anita standings with 58 wins, is closing in on Bill Shoemaker's all-time winningest record of 8,833 victories. Pincay will start his quest for Shoe's record Friday night at Hollywood Park just 102 victories away from that platue. The 52-years-young Pincay has won 13 Hollywood Park titles over his illustrious career with the most recent in 1991.

Bob Baffert will head the who's who of trainers set for the meet. Baffert is fresh off the Santa Anita title with 42 wins, and although he'll have a stable at Hollywood Park, he is expected to be on the Triple Crown road through early June with his potent sophomore contingent that includes General Challenge and Prime Timber in addition to the nation's pair of super sophomore fillies Excellent Meeting and Silverbulletday.

The Sunset Station race book will kick off the Hollypark opener with a handicapping contests on the Friday night card. A $10 entry fee (2 per person maximum) allows a chance at the guaranteed $1000 winners pot plus participation in the In-The-Money show side pot that has a carryover going into Friday night's contest.