The Hollywood Turf Festival offers something for everyone over the long holiday weekend, and sprinters get their chance Nov. 29 in the $150,000 Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) at six furlongs.
There is only a three-pound spread in the Turf Express, with co-highweights One Union and California Flag pegged at 117 pounds. Both come out of the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint last month at Oak Tree at Santa Anita.
California Flag set the early pace in the Breeders’ Cup over the downhill turf course at Santa Anita at 6 1/2 furlongs before fading in the final furlong. The Cal-bred son of Avenue of Flags had won the Morvich Handicap (gr. IIIT) in a course-record 1:11.10 in his previous effort in his turf stakes debut.
One Union, Herman Sarkowsky’s 5-year-old son of Dixie Union—Onceinabluemoon, by Al Mamoon, stalked the pace in the Breeders’ Cup, but tired late to finish eighth behind Desert Code. Third in the Morvich, One Union won the Wickerr Handicap going a mile at Del Mar earlier this year. He’s placed in three stakes over the Hollywood Park turf course.
Hurry Up Austin took his time winning his first stakes, taking the Oct. 13 Kangaroo Court Stakes down the hill at Santa Anita in his 28th career start. Trainer Mel Stute put the Florida-bred on the Pro-Ride surface last time out at Oak Tree, and Hurry Up Austin finished a dull eighth. A five-furlong move in :58 3/5 last week may have him back on his toes.
The 7-year-old Delta Storm figures to set the tempo in the Turf Express. Second to Hurry Up Austin in the Kangaroo Court last time out, the son of Storm Boot has shown past success with front-end efforts throughout his career. In a mix of claiming, allowance, and stakes efforts, Delta Storm has four wins on the season.
Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT), six furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, $150,000, Saturday, Nov. 29, approximate post 4:35 p.m. PST
Post – Horse – Wgt – Jockey
1 – Delta Storm – 116 – Aaron Gryder
2 - One Union (KY) - 117 – Victor Espinoza
3 - Majestic Diamond – 114 - Julien Couton
4 - Racketeer – 113 - Rafael Bejarano
5 - Unusual Suspect - 114 - Tyler Baze
6 - Hurry Up Austin – 115 - Michael Martinez
7 – Towzee - 114 - Alex Solis
8 - Joe Bravo - 114 - Mike Smith
9 - Carrilero – 114 - Jose Valdivia Jr.
10 - California Flag - 117 - Joseph Talamo
Morvich winner California Flag is co-highweight (with One Union) for the Turf Express Handicap.
Benoit