Hollywood Suits Star Parade

A one-time winner in seven starts in South America, Star Parade has fared a lot better since coming to this country.

The 5-year-old Parade Marshal mare has five wins in 10 races in California and she is a two-time Grade I winner after her victory in Sunday’s $250,000 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Owned by Gary Tanaka and trained by Darrell Vienna, Star Parade, the 19-10 favorite, set the pace under jockey Victor Espinoza, gave it up to longshot Quero Quero around the turn, then rallied and was pulling away at the finish. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.83.

Star Parade, who earned her other Grade I score in the Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita, gave Espinoza his second win in the Milady. He had won the race with Lazy Slusan in 2001.

Quero Quero, a turf specialist who was making only her second start on the dirt, outfinished Pesci for the place. Victory Encounter, the 2-1 second choice who had beaten Star Parade and Adoration in the Vanity Handicap on May 9, was a non-threatening fourth. Tangle finished last in a field reduced to five after Summer Wind Dancer and Lady Thatcher were scratched.

“We had a slight problem with her before her last race,” said Vienna after his first Milady win. “She tied up a couple of days before, and we thought about scratching her. She came into this race in perfect shape, and you saw more of the real Star Parade today.”

Star Parade, who has never been worse than third in her five appearances in Grade 1’s, will probably make her next start in the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap next month at Del Mar.

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Medallist, the 3-1 second choice, set fast fractions and kept on going all the way to the wire to win the $150,000 Dwyer on Sunday at Belmont Park.

Owned and bred by Robert Clay and trained by Allen Jerkens, the 3-year-old Touch Gold colt set a stakes record in the Grade II, completing the 1 1/16 miles under jockey Jorge Chavez in 1:40.02. He won by 3 3/4 lengths after opening up by as many as eight lengths while running the first six furlongs in 1:07 4/5.

This was the third win in six starts for Medallist and his second stakes success in a row. In his last start May 1, he upset Forest Danger at 8-1 in the Withers, winning by 3 1/4 lengths.

Making his first appearance since finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, The Cliff’s Edge was second, ahead of stablemate Sir Shackleton.

Trained by Nick Zito for owner Robert LaPenta, The Cliff’s Edge will make his next start in the Jim Dandy on Aug. 8 at Saratoga. The Jim Dandy is the prep for the $1-million Travers three weeks later.