THE MATRIARCH
I Can See, a 5-year-old mare who has overcome the handicap of blindness in one eye to earn more than $400,000, worked five furlongs on turf in 1:01.60 Sunday at Hollywood Park for the $500,000 Matriarch on Nov. 30. The Grade I Matriarch, co-featured with the $500,000 Hollywood Derby on closing day of the three-day Turf Festival, is for fillies and mares at one mile on grass. "She worked very nicely, as good as I could expect," said trainer Steve Knapp after the drill under exercise rider Fernando Serna. "I will work here once more next Sunday, and if all goes well, she will run in The Matriarch."
   Henry Spiller, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, said Godolphin Racing’s Cocoa Beach would work on the turf for the first time here Thursday after a bullet four-furlong work in :45.60 Monday on Cushion Track."I had her back in 57 and 4," said Spiller. "It was like a breeze." Cocoa Beach, a major stakes winner on three continents, finished second to unbeaten Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic in her last start at Santa Anita on Oct. 24.
   Magical Fantasy worked six furlongs on turf in 1:14 under regular rider Alex Solis as the 3-year-old filly. The Grade I test is for fillies and mares at one mile on grass."Very nice; she went even the whole way," said Solis of the filly who won the Grade I Del Mar Oaks as a 42-to-1 longshot. Trainer Paddy Gallagher, also pleased with the work, hopes Magical Fantasy enjoys a cleaner trip in The Matriarch than in her last start. "She broke sharp and got in a bit tight on the turn, clipped heels and dropped back," said Gallagher of the Keeneland race. "That didn’t help her, and she still only got beat four or five lengths."

WINCHESTER WORKS FOR HOLLYWOOD DERBY
Winchester worked five furlongs in 1:01.40 on the Hollywood Park turf course in company with Towzee in preparation for the $500,000 Hollywood Derby on Nov. 30.
"He went quicker than last time," said Tom Daly, assistant and exercise rider for trainer Dermot Weld in reference to a five-furlong drill in 1:04 Nov. 6.

MITCHELL DUO WORKS
Church Service, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, worked six furlongs on Cushion Track in 1:14.20 for trainer Mike Mitchell. "He will probably come back in the Hollywood Turf Cup," said Mitchell of the $250,000 Grade I test at 1 ½ miles on turf Dec. 6. Delta Storm, fourth-place finisher in the Ancient Title Stakes, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59.60 for Mitchell for the $150,000 Hollywood Turf Express at six furlongs Nov. 29.

Benoit Photo

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Nov. 16, 2008) — Evita Argentina, last much of the way, closed from eighth at the top of the stretch under jockey Tyler Baze to score a dramatic 1 1/2-length victory over front-running favorite Mi Chiamano Mimi in Sunday’s $111,100 Moccasin Stakes at Hollywood Park. Evita Argentina, who beat Stardom Bound in the Sorrento at Del Mar before chasing her home in the Del Mar Debutante and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, was 11th entering the far turn and only had three fillies behind her when she straightened for home.

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It will be something old and something new for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin during the Turf Festival Nov. 28-30 at Hollywood Park.

McLaughlin said from New York Sunday veteran Shakis would conclude his racing career in the $400,000 Citation Handicap on Nov. 28, the same afternoon that budding star Hayaba seeks her first stakes victory in the $100,000-added Miesque for 2-year-old fillies.

Shakis, an Irish-bred 8-year-old horse, has won seven of 35 starts and earned $860,532 for owner-breeder Shadwell Farm. A two-time winner of the Grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga, Shakis was a fast-closing second in the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland and a troubled 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in his last two starts.

"He came rushing up on the rail, lacked room and was stopped," said McLaughlin of the Breeders’ Cup race. "He had to put the brakes on and was checked pretty good. He wasn’t going to win but he might have gotten a piece of it.

McLaughlin said both horses would breeze here Friday under the supervision of his brother, Neal McLaughlin.

Other probable Citation starters include Ferneley, Galantas, Hyperbaric, Lord Admiral, Tybalt and Whatsthescript.

COWBOY CAL PROBABLE FOR THE HOL DERBY
Trainer Todd Pletcher informed the racing office Cowboy Cal would be supplemented to the $500,000 Hollywood Derby Nov. 30 for $10,000. The 3-year-old colt has won four of five turf starts, most recently the Berry Station at Keeneland on Oct. 12 in his first outing since the Kentucky Derby. Other probable starters in the Grade I test at 1 ¼ miles on turf include Court Vision, Dixie Chatter, Gio Ponti, Madeo, Muny, Sailor’s Cap and Winchester. Fifteen Love and Midships head a list of possibles.

WIND CAPER TO MAKE CALIFORNIA BOW IN MOCCASIN
Wind Caper, who won her only start at Presque Isle Downs in August, will make her West Coast debut in the $100,000-added Moccasin Stakes for 2-year-old fillies here next Sunday. The seven-furlong test serves as a prep for the $250,000 Hollywood Starlet Dec. 13.

"Marc Ferrell, a new owner from the Anaheim area, bought her off that win in Pennsylvania," said trainer Ron Ellis Sunday. Wind Caper won her first start by a neck at 5-1/2 furlongs.

"She’s got natural speed and should be up close but also has a pedigree to go long," said Ellis of the Kentucky-bred chestnut by Touch Gold out of the Summer Squall mare Wind Tunnel. "She worked a good seven-eighths the other day (1:26.60 Thursday).

"I wanted to run her in an allowance race but it didn’t fill," said Ellis, who has named Jose Valdivia, Jr. to ride. Other probable starters include Mi Chiamano Mimi (Garrett Gomez), Palacio De Amor (Victor Espinoza), Will O Way (Rafael Bejarano) and Irish import Pasar Silbano (Mike Smith). Possibles include Evita Argentina, Wynning Ride, Malusita and either Broadway Hennessey or Montana Fields from the Jerry Hollendorfer stable.