On the Acorn seeks to become the first repeat winner of the $250,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park Saturday, but it won't be easy.
"On the Acorn is doing super, better than last year," said trainer Mike Mitchell Wednesday of the 7-year-old gelding's training for the Grade II race at 1½ miles on turf. "But I have a lot of respect for Bobby Frankel's horse (Champs Elysees). He's a good horse, a very good horse."
On the Acorn, the 5-to-2 second choice last year, capped a great run with the Jim Murray victory last year after being claimed for $40,000 by Indizguys Stable. He had won three of his previous four starts before the Jim Murray, including a triumph in the San Juan Capistrano Handicap.
On the Acorn went to the sidelines for the remainder of the year after the Jim Murray victory. "He needed to be freshened," explained Mitchell. The horse is winless in three 2008 starts, including a fourth-place finish in his San Juan Capistrano defense in his last start at Santa Anita April 20.
Mitchell named Brice Blanc to ride On the Acorn, who was ridden by Victor Espinoza in his last five starts, including the Jim Murray victory. Blanc has ridden the English-bred five times, winning three times.
Mitchell also entered Church Service in the Jim Murray with Espinoza. The 5-year-old gelding was a fast-closing second in his last start in the Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita March 29, missing by a nose to Niagara Causeway.
"I don't know whether I'm going to run Church Service there or in the Dallas Turf Cup (May 26 at Lone Star Park)," said Mitchell. "I don't know if I want to run both horses against Bobby. I'm going to talk it over with the owners the next couple of days."
Church Service, claimed by Mitchell three races back for $50,000 in January, finished sixth and last in the Jim Murray last year for trainer Lisa Lewis.
Frankel, a six-time winner of the Jim Murray, entered both Champs Elysees and Sudan. Champs Elysees, a royally-bred Juddmonte Farms homebred, finished third in the Santa Anita Handicap in his last start after capturing the San Marcos Stakes on the Santa Anita turf in January. Ramon Dominguez will be here from Maryland to ride the 5-year-old horse.
While Mitchell hopes On the Acorn will prevail long on the turf, he will also try to win short on Cushion Track with Bilo in the six-furlong, $100,000-added Los Angeles Handicap on the undercard.
"He can do 7½ furlongs but he wasn't quite ready," explained Mitchell of his decision to scratch Bilo from the Tiznow Stakes here April 27. "He had a really good work after that (six furlongs in 1:11.60 here Friday under jockey Tyler Baze). He's on target."
MANDELLA SHOOTS FOR STAKES DOUBLE
Trainer Richard Mandella seeks only a little progress from two stakes entrants here Saturday. He would like to see Peace Chant, runner-up by one-half length behind Sailors Sunset in the Los Angeles Handicap last year, move up one position in the $100,000-added Grade III sprint at six furlongs.
He would also like to see Decorator, victorious in her last two starts at 6½ furlongs on turf, prove as effective at one mile in her stakes debut in the $100,000-added, Grade III Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on grass.
Peace Chant, a royally-bred son of War Chant and Safely Kept, went to the sidelines for the remainder of 2007 after the L.A. 'Cap, returned in March and finished fourth in the Potrero Grande Handicap in his last outing April 5.
"He chipped his right hind ankle and underwent surgery," explained Mandella of the layoff. "He's doing good now and we're sure going to try and win Saturday."
Mandella also expressed optimism that Decorator would handle the extra distance and elevation into stakes competition. "She's been doing really well too," said Mandella of the filly by Storm Cat out of the Lord at War mare Words of War.
Mandella won the Senorita with Reluctant Guest in 1989 and Likeable Style in 1993.
ZENYATTA SCARING OFF COMPETITION
Generally horses that run well in the Hawthorne Handicap, the first leg of a three-race series for older fillies and mares in the handicap division, look ahead to the second leg, the Milady Handicap.
Not this year. The imposing presence of the unbeaten Zenyatta has made the connections of at least two of the top three horses in the Hawthorne Sunday look for options other than the $175,000-added Milady May 31.
"I'm looking at the A Gleam (Handicap June 28 at seven furlongs)," said John Sadler, trainer of third-place finisher Dawn After Dawn, Wednesday. "Zenyatta is like the female Big Brown. If you watch her race at Oaklawn, it just blows you away."
Bob Baffert, trainer of Hawthorne winner Tough Tiz's Sis, said his main objectives for the year with the filly were to run in the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, remain in California, and avoid Zenyatta.
Zenyatta breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 here Wednesday as exercise rider Steve Willard celebrated his birthday. The Jerry and Ann Moss homebred won her last start in the Apple Blossom Handicap for trainer John Shirreffs.
The distaff series concludes with the Grade I $300,000 Vanity Handicap July 5.
LOBO TO GIVE GAYEGO A REST
Trainer Paulo Lobo said Wednesday that Gayego had earned a rest following a rough 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Saturday.
"He came back in good shape Monday night but he's going to get a rest," said Lobo. "He was very unlucky. He missed the break and was squeezed. After that, he got rank. When the field passed the first time under the wire, I saw that all his chances were gone."
Gayego, based here year-round, broke his maiden here last fall and won the Arkansas Derby in April.
"The winner was much the best," said Lobo in praise of Big Brown. "You need to take your hat off to a horse that wins from post 20."
In other 3-year-old news, three horses with local connections will tangle with Big Brown in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico May 17: the Beau Greely-trained Tres Borrachos with Tyler Baze, the Paddy Gallagher-trained Yankee Bravo with Alex Solis, and the Todd Pletcher-trained Standinatthebar with David Flores.
The $400,000 Lone Star Derby in Texas Saturday will also provide local interest with a lineup including El Gato Malo, trained by Craig Dollase and ridden by Rafael Bejarano; Leonides, trained by Vladmir Cerin and ridden by Richard Migliore; and Samba Rooster, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Garrett Gomez.
P.S.U GRAD SEEKS TO MAKE GRADE
Trainer Craig Dollase explained that co-owner Mike Shustek named P.S.U. Grad after his daughter, a graduate of Penn State.
Dollase is optimistic the Kentucky-bred filly will earn her first graded stakes victory in the $100,000-added Railbird, a Grade III test for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Sunday.
Winner of the Barretts Debutante Stakes in September, P.S.U Grad was a closing second to unbeaten Lethal Heat in her last start in the 6½-furlong Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita March 30.
"She came out of her last race good, and this looks like a good spot," said Dollase of the Harlan's Holiday filly, a $375,000 Barretts May 2007 purchase.
Lethal Heat (Rafael Bejarano) and P.S.U. Grad (Michael Baze) are expected to head a lineup that could also include Highland Torree (Corey Nakatani), Magical Victory (Victor Espinoza), Sweet Hope (Jon Court), Tasha's Miracle (Martin Garcia), Lovely Isle, Million Dollar Run, Peisinoe and Puff Maddie.
Trainer Bob Baffert said 2007 2-year-old filly champion Indian Blessing would probably skip the Railbird and make her next start in the Acorn Stakes at Belmont on June 7.
FINISH LINES - Locally-based Intangaroo, who returned from Kentucky Monday after a victory in the Grade I Humana Distaff Handicap for trainer Gary Sherlock and jockey Alonso Quinonez on the Derby undercard, is scheduled to return here later in the meet in either the A Gleam Handicap June 28 or the CashCall Mile July 5...San Simeon Handicap winner Stoneside worked a bullet five furlongs in :58.80 Wednesday for trainer Julio Canani…Divine Legacy blew out three furlongs in :35.60 for trainer Bill Currin for the Senorita Stakes Saturday…Shamdinan, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Turf, was entered by trainer Doug O'Neill in the fifth race Saturday, a $57,000 allowance test at one mile on grass.
