Race Preview: Gamely Handicap - Hollywood Park, May 27, 2013
Special Memorial Day racing across the country on Monday and there are graded stakes galore. The feature at Hollywood Park is the Grade 1 Gamely Handicap for fillies and mares at nine furlongs on the turf. The $250,000 race drew a field of seven and contention runs deep.
Favoritism is likely to fall will Marketing Mix, who is getting her 2013 season started a bit late after being a late scratch from the Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby day. There was nothing wrong with the millionaire mare, the connections just felt it was not in her best interest to run on the less-than-firm turf course. Since the scratch she shipped to Hollywood and it sure looks like she has been pointed to the Gamely. She has won from a layoff before and is a Grade 1 winner. Marketing Mix is not; however, the only Grade 1 winner in the field.
Lady of Shamrock exits a "win" in the Grade 2 Santa Barbara across town taking the top spot after Viva Carina was disqualified for causing Lady of Shamrock to steady. By Scat Daddy, Lady of Shamrock has always been dependent on pace and may only get that on Monday with her stablemate Miss Ellany likely to push the early fractions. Lady of Shamrock won't get first run, but she will be coming late.
Tiz Flirtatious and Halo Dolly are the upsetters and both have more tactical speed than Lady of Shamrock. Halo Dolly is two-for-two over the Hollywood turf including the Grade 3 Wilshire Handicap in April. Expect jockey Garrett Gomez to stalk Marketing Mix early and keep clear of Tiz Flirtatious, who will be just behind that pair. Tiz Flirtatious won the Grade 2 Santa Ana over Lady of Shamrock at Santa Anita in March and was second in the Grade 1 Matriarch over the course last November. This would be the perfect spot for trainer Marty Jones to turn around his meet. Jones has only one win with his 22 starts so far.
First post on Monday is 4:00 pm ET with the Gamely off at 8:00. Also on the day is the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap, post time 5:30, featuring the return of Fast Bullet.
Favoritism is likely to fall will Marketing Mix, who is getting her 2013 season started a bit late after being a late scratch from the Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby day. There was nothing wrong with the millionaire mare, the connections just felt it was not in her best interest to run on the less-than-firm turf course. Since the scratch she shipped to Hollywood and it sure looks like she has been pointed to the Gamely. She has won from a layoff before and is a Grade 1 winner. Marketing Mix is not; however, the only Grade 1 winner in the field.
Lady of Shamrock exits a "win" in the Grade 2 Santa Barbara across town taking the top spot after Viva Carina was disqualified for causing Lady of Shamrock to steady. By Scat Daddy, Lady of Shamrock has always been dependent on pace and may only get that on Monday with her stablemate Miss Ellany likely to push the early fractions. Lady of Shamrock won't get first run, but she will be coming late.
Tiz Flirtatious and Halo Dolly are the upsetters and both have more tactical speed than Lady of Shamrock. Halo Dolly is two-for-two over the Hollywood turf including the Grade 3 Wilshire Handicap in April. Expect jockey Garrett Gomez to stalk Marketing Mix early and keep clear of Tiz Flirtatious, who will be just behind that pair. Tiz Flirtatious won the Grade 2 Santa Ana over Lady of Shamrock at Santa Anita in March and was second in the Grade 1 Matriarch over the course last November. This would be the perfect spot for trainer Marty Jones to turn around his meet. Jones has only one win with his 22 starts so far.
First post on Monday is 4:00 pm ET with the Gamely off at 8:00. Also on the day is the Grade 3 Los Angeles Handicap, post time 5:30, featuring the return of Fast Bullet.