Las Vegas, NV -- The Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap comes our way this Friday, April 27th from Betfair Hollywood Park in beautiful Inglewood, California. Horse four years old and upward will saddle up and race 1 1/8 miles on Hollywood Park's turf course in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
A small field of five will go in Race 3 on Hollywood Park's Friday schedule with a post time of 8:05 PM. Although all five entries fancy themselves as contenders, there is really only one to keep an eye on - Acclamation who will be making his 2012 debut at the Inglewood.
Let's take a look at the five entries and their performances ahead of Friday's race.
Acclamation - the reigning Eclipse Award winner for older males makes his 2012 debut on Friday having won five straight stakes races to end 2011 - the Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita (Turf), TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar (Synthetic), Eddie Read Stakes (G1) at Del Mar (Turf), Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park (Turf) and Jim Murray Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park last year. Acclamation was superb on turf last year - won four consecutive graded stakes on that surface. On dirt, Acclamation won the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. Acclamation's rust is the only thing that will slow him down in this race!
Holladay Road - has three wins in his last four starts - two Allowance scores and a win at the Crystal Waters Stakes at Santa Anita on January 28th. Holladay Road finished a respectable fourth in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 3rd and may be Acclamation's biggest test in this race.
Inglewood Handicap betting at Betfair Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Utopian - has raced four times already in 2012 but has just one second place finish to show for it - at the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita on February 11th. Utopian followed that up with a fourth in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita on March 25th and also has a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming race and a sixth in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on January 7th. Utopian is certainly a long shot in this race.
Smug - only has seven career starts with mixed results - a win last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Santa Anita on March 24th but before that an eighth in an Allowance on that same track on March 3rd. The Inglewood is a big step up in competition for Smug who doesn't figure to be a factor.
Haimish Hy - has only one start in the last 10 months -a fourth in the Sidd Fitch Stakes at Santa Anita on March 1st. Before that was a fifth in the Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park in June and a third in the Grade 3 Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park last may.
Race 3 on Hollywood Park's Friday card with a Post Time of 8:05 PM.
