O'Neill won't appeal, vacation in order

Okay, so this is how it goes. Trainer Doug O'Neill said Friday that he has dropped an appeal of a 15-day suspension for a total carbon dioxide overage in Illinois in April. The penalty will run from Wednesday through July 14. But, instead of running his horses in his assistants name, Leandro Mora, all of O'Neill's horses will remain in the barn until the end of the suspension on July 14.

O'Neill said he spent Friday afternoon consulting with his owners about the implications of the suspension and that a majority of them were not in favor of him running horses in the name of his assistant, Leandro Mora, during the suspension. O'Neill said the policy of having no runners also would apply to stakes horses, including Enriched in the $150,000 American Handicap on July 4.

Since O'Neill already has had 134 starters at the Hollywood Park meeting, this stinks of O'Neill's way of trying to hurt and or prevent Hollywood Park from being able to fill races with a horse shortage that has already plagued Southern California.

We are glad to see that late Sunday Hollywood Park was able to fill both Thursday's and Friday's race cards without any hitches and hope the rest of the Hollywood Park meeting goes off without any more cancellations of race cards due to horse shortages.

One has to wonder how Turning Top was allowed to go off at 4/1 in Saturday's Beverly Hills Handicap and pay a robust $10.40 for her win. Winning for the fourth time in a row now for trainer Simon Callaghan, under Brice Blanc, this 4-year-old filly is now a Grade III Stakes winner. Look for lots more of her down the road.

The Usual Q.T. returned to life in Sunday's fifth race at $3.20 and Unzip Me at her streak halted in Sunday's Robert B. Kerlan Memorial Handicap vs. the boys. While running a winning race, she just failed to hold off the charges of both My Summer Slew and Stoneside late.

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Oak Tree to remain at Santa Anita in 2010

At Tuesday's CHRB meeting held at Hollywood Park it was announced that this seasons Oak Tree meeting will remain at Santa Anita but will more than likely be moved to Del Mar beginning in 2011. An eleventh hour deal saved Oak Tree from having to possibly move the meeting to Hollywood Park in October. Frank Stronach said he won't offer Oak Tree a lease after this year however.

Are we the only one that has a sinking feeling about the future of California horse racing? After listening to the CHRB board members and several speakers at Tuesday's meeting we weren't left with that much hope regarding the future.

And what a shame too with Rachel Alexandra back in winning form and Zenyatta, fresh off her Vanity win. While there are some positives happening in racing, they are few and far between in California.

Zenyatta remains perfect

Wow is pretty much all we can say. Having to watch her win in front of a T.V. at a 80th birthday party for a family friend with about 50 or so guests, many of which knew nothing about the sport, we have to admit we thought she had met her demise at the 1/8th pole in the Vanity. "Too much to do with this amount of weight," we thought. But somehow, she did what she had to do under Mike Smith and that was to pull out the win in the $250,000 Grade I race. Giving the game runner-up St Trinians nine pounds, Zenyatta was in front at the wire by a half-length. The daughter of Street Cry covered the 1 1/8th mile distance in 1:49.01 and returned $3 to her backers. What's next for this great mare is uncertain but we can't wait to find out!

Rachel Alexandra and Rail Trip back on the beam with wins

Rachel Alexandra and Rail Trip, two powerhouse runners both won their races on Saturday and are now setting their sights on upcoming races.

Rebounding from a pair of second-place finishes that began her 4-year-old campaign, Rachel Alexandra asserted her clear superiority over an outclassed field of four opponents in the Fleur de Lis, winning by 10 1/2 lengths over longshot Distinctive Dixie. She raced 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.78, a second and a half off the track record.

Rail Trip did not need his best effort to win Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park. At the eighth pole, when Rail Trip was 2 1/2 lengths in front of seven rivals, jockey Rafael Bejarano knew the job was finished. In the final sixteenth, Bejarano allowed Rail Trip to cruise to the finish, winning by 2 3/4 lengths. "I had so much horse," Bejarano said. "I let him gallop and get him ready for the next one."
The next one is the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 10, which can only further enhance Rail Trip's status as the leading older male in California.

Perhaps overshadowed a bit this past week was She'll Heir's race in the $60,000 Cinderella at Hollywood Park. Posting her second career win from as many starts, the daughter of Wildcat Heir was making her local debut after breaking her maiden in Kentucky. She looked quite good, too, as the Vladimir Cerin filly overpowered her rivals under Rafael Bejarano and returned $3.40 for the win.

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Good luck to the ladies this weekend!

Good luck to both Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta who will be making starts this weekend. First will come Rachel, who will attempt her first win in 2010 when she takes on her rivals in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap. Zenyatta comes next when she makes her start Sunday in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap, in search of her 17th consecutive win.

All eyes will also be on Rail Trip Saturday in the Grade II $250,000 Californian as he tries to make amends for last years loss to Informed.

Sorry to hear about the death of Kip Deville, winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile and $3 million earner, who lost his long battle with laminitis Friday. The 7-year-old horse was euthanized at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., according to a Blood-Horse report. Michael Iavarone of IEAH Stables told the Blood-Horse that the syndicate "just wanted him to live a happy life. He deserved that."

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Slow pace victimizes Blind Luck in Oaks

A pedestrian like slow pace victimized Blind Luck in Sunday's Hollywood Oaks. In the Oaks, Blind Luck was last of five through a slow pace of 25.30 and 50.11 seconds set by the eventual third-place finisher, Camille C. Blind Luck trailed by 7 1/2 lengths with three-eighths remaining and passed three rivals. After the race, Hollendorfer said that Blind Luck "should have laid a little closer." You think? This is the second time that jock Rafael Bejarano has messed up on Blind Luck, the last time was in the Santa Anita Oaks when the same thing happened. Perhaps a change in riders is in store for next time, just to shake things up a bit?

Zenyatta fans will be holding their breath on Sunday, June 13th when the super filly makes a start in the Grade I Vanity, toting high weight of 129lbs. That is quite an impost when you consider the climate of racing these days. She'll be carrying nine pounds more than St Trinians. Zenyatta is seeking her 17th win and an unprecedented third consecutive win in the Vanity. She carried 124 pounds in the 2008 Vanity, her sixth career win, and 129 pounds in the 2009 Vanity, her 11th win.

Rachel Alexandra worked Monday morning at Churchill Downs in :49.20 in splits of 12.60 and 25 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.80, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols. It was the fifth straight Monday workout for the 4-year-old filly since she finished second in the April 30 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill.

Cost of Freedom continued his winning ways by running the opposition off their hooves in the $100,000 Grade III Los Angeles Handicap for his second straight win at $4. The John Sadler trained 7-year-old gelding by Cee's Tizzy was winning his eighth race from 15 lifetime starts and was ridden to victor by Tyler Baze for owners Gary or Cecil Barber.

It's hard to imagine stealing the purse in the Grade I $250,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap but that is what Acclamation did ... again ... under Christian Santiago Reyes. His previous win in the Grade II Jim Murray Handicap was accomplished the same way and the opposition allowed it to happen again when nobody went out with the son of Unusual Heat. The 4-year-old colt is trained by Don Warren and owned by EW and Judy Johnston. The winner paid a nice $8.20.

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Beautiful night at Hollywood Park

Another beautiful Friday night of racing at Hollywood Park. There is something about Friday nights here and it is the feeling here they should perhaps add a night of racing to the current schedule, perhaps Saturday night too? Maybe if Oak Tree does move here to Hollywood Park come this fall we'll see some sort of experimental race scheduling.

Can't understand however that with a shortage of racing during the week that track management continues to card extra races on the weekends. With 11 races on Saturday, these races could be used during the week to help fill cards so that there aren't any days scrapped like this past Wednesday was. Hard to figure.

The gutty veteran Scottish Diamond had eight claim slips dropped in for him while winning the 3rd race on May 27. The gelded son of Storm Boot looked like he had some run left in him so perhaps you'll see him hoisted up the ladder for his new connections next time out.

Quick Friday night update! Ann's Seven wins the 5th at $32.60. Double carryover into Saturday's card?

Just how game is Tuscan Evening? Winning for the 5th straight time to add to her $899,408 bankroll, the Jerry Hollendorfer trained 5-year-old mare was ridden perfectly again by Rafael Bejarano to return $3.80 in the $250,000 Grade I Gamely. She's one gutty mare to be sure and owner William de Burgh must be quite proud of this daughter of Oasis Dream with what she has done. She has now won 11 from 26 lifetime starts.

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