Shoemaker And Triple Bend Headline Hollywood Weekend

The Mike Mitchell-trained Obviously, who is arguably the best miler on the West Coast, will be the one to catch and beat in the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile S. (G1) at Hollywood Park on Saturday. The multiple Grade 2 hero has picked up where he left off last campaign and comes off a facile tally in the American H. (G2) on this turf last time, and also shows a few nice drills in the interim. Expect the son of Choisir to be rolling on the front end and proving to be a very hard target with anything close to his best.

Defending champ Jeranimo didn’t handle the yielding going at Churchill on Derby Day but has a ton of back class and is a proven player at this level for conditioner Michael Pender. Grade 2 victor Wilkinson was a fine allowance winner at nine panels here in advance of this and could be a real sleeper in this race. The Jeff Mullins trainee appears to be coming up to a peak effort. Group 1 hero Lucayan was a sharp second in his U. S. debut last time and could be more fit second time off the long break for conditioner Neil Drysdale. Christophe Clement will ship in Za Approval, who enters with a pair of graded wins in succession.

The undercard on Saturday will be led by the co-feature, the $250,000 Triple Bend H. (G1). Likely for this fine renewal of this race includes 2012 Malibu S. (G1) winner Jimmy Creed, Grade 1 stars Rail Trip and Drill, recent Met Mile H. (G1) victor Sahara Sky, 2012 winner of this race Camp Victory, the in-form and speedy Comma to the Top and superb local allowance winner Points Offthebench.