Haggin Stakes Is Canceled
Because of a shortage of entries for the $75,000-added Haggin Stakes, a 5 1/2 -furlong contest for 2-year-olds, Hollywood Park didn’t offer a stakes race Sunday.
Although called an overnight stakes by some, the canceled Haggin had been run 50 times previously and produced a Breeders’ Cup winner only five years ago. Squirtle Squirt, who won the 2000 Haggin, won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont Park the next year and won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top sprinter.
The $750,000 American Oaks, a Grade I at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old fillies that will be run for the fourth time July 3, has yet to produce a Breeders’ Cup winner or Eclipse champion, but it will have a full field.
A total of 41 3-year-old fillies have competed in the first three American Oaks, and 14 are expected to run this year.
The list of 14 invitees was released Sunday, and five of the invitations went to fillies who have been based locally, including recent Honeymoon Breeders’ Cup Handicap winner Three Degrees.
New York and Kentucky also are represented on the list, as well as horses from Japan, Ireland, England and Italy.
Trainer Bobby Frankel, who won the inaugural American Oaks when Megahertz was moved from second to first after Dublino was disqualified, could run both Melhor Ainda and Louvain, who won a division of the Miesque over the local turf course in her U.S. debut last fall.
Owned by T N T Stud, Melhor Ainda, a daughter of Pulpit, has won all four of her starts, winning three times at Belmont Park and once at Keeneland. Her four victories have been by a combined 17 3/4 lengths.
The remaining invitees are Grat, Isla Cozzene, Karen’s Caper, Laurafina, Luas Line, Memorette, Silk And Scarlet, Silver Cup, Splendid Blended and Thatswhatimean.
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Megahertz has been given high weight of 124 pounds for the $200,000 Beverly Hills Handicap, which will be run Saturday.
If the 6-year-old mare runs in the Grade II at 1 1/4 miles on turf, she will be trying to give Frankel his second consecutive win in the race. He won with Light Jig in 2004.
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Lady Bi Bi, a 7-1 shot, and 4-1 shot Kevin’s Decision each won a division of the $85,100 Mount Vernon Handicap on Sunday at Belmont Park.
Jose Santos rode Lady Bi Bi for Tri County Stable and trainer John Hertler in the first division, and Edgar Prado was on Kevin’s Decision for Flying Zee Stables and trainer Carlos Martin in the second.