Buddy Gil, a sensation at Santa Anita in the winter and spring of 2003, will make his first start at Hollywood Park as the 122-pound high weight in the $75,000 Ack Ack Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs on Monday.Buddy Gil, trained by Jeff Mullins, strung together victories in the Baldwin Stakes (gr. IIIT), San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) to become the leading 3-year-old on the West Coast last year. He was sidelined for seven months after a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and ran three disappointing races in top stakes before regaining his confidence with a victory in an allowance race at one mile on April 16.
The 4-year-old gelding has won six of 14 starts and earned $768,455 for breeder and co-owner Billingsley Creek Ranch in Idaho.