Las Vegas, NV - It was a pretty light week in the world of graded stakes horse racing as nearly every winter weekend is. Thank goodness for Betfair Hollywood Park and Gulfstream! Last weekend both tracks hosted intriguing graded stakes races - two took place at Hollywood Park and another at Gulfstream. Let's take a look at all the happenings starting at Hollywood Park.
Arguably the biggest race of the weekend, the $500,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet took place at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday for juvenile fillies. It was Ken McPeek`s Pure Fun that rallied from last place to win by one length in the field of seven at 6-1 odds. Blonde Fog finished second and Scarlet Strike was another two lengths back in third. 2-5 favorite Executiveprivilege , the Eclipse Award favorite failed to record her third Grade 1 victory this year and finished a very disappointing fourth.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | WIN | PLACE | SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pure Fun | G. Gomez | $14.40 | $6.00 | $10.60 |
| 4 | Blonde Fog | M. Garcia | $6.00 | $9.40 | |
| 3 | Scarlet Strike | J. Talamo | $19.00 |
Also at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday, the $200,000 Grade 1 Bayakoa Handicap was contested for three year old fillies willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park's synthetic track. Jerry Hollendorfer`s Lady of Fifty, the race`s third choice recorded her first graded stakes win by 3 3/4 lengths over Open Water who finished second and 5-2 co-favorite Inglorious, the Canadian shipper who was racing for the first time since July 8.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | WIN | PLACE | SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Lady of Fifty | M. Garcia | $8.80 | $5.60 | $3.60 |
| 1 | Open Water | C. Nakatani | $10.60 | $6.40 | |
| 8 | Inglorious | M. Smith | $3.20 |
In the $100,000 Grade 3 Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, newly purchased and heavy race favorite Dust and Diamonds won her first race for new trainer Todd Pletcher by 2 3/4 lengths to follow up a very nice second to probable Eclipse Award winner Groupie Doll in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. In turn, Dust and Diamonds kept her streak of finishing in the money in every career start intact. It was Golden Mystery that rallied at the end to finish 1 3/4 lengths clear of uncoupled stable mate Nakano for second. Sacristy, Honey Chile, and Hearts of Red rounded out the complete order of finish in the small field of six.
| Post | Horse | Jockey | WIN | PLACE | SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Dust and Diamonds | J. Velazquez | $3.00 | $2.40 | $2.10 |
| 7 | Golden Mystery | L. Saez | $5.60 | $3.20 | |
| 1 | Nakano | J. Castellano | $3.00 |
