Weekend at Hollywood Park : The Derby Is a Big Deal at Inglewood Track, Too

Racing fans who favor a mint julep with a sprig of Hollywood pizazz may want to head for Hollywood Park this afternoon and take in the 111th running of the Kentucky Derby.

The Inglewood track will not only be decorated to celebrate thoroughbred racing’s premier event, but horseplayers will be able to wager on the race, see it live, get a souvenir hat and savor Kentucky’s favorite elixir--the mint julep--for $1.

If the lure of the Run for the Roses isn’t enough, Hollywood Park will have its usual nine-race program, beginning at 1:30 p.m. The post time for the Kentucky Derby is 2:38 p.m. PDT.

Last year, a Hollywood Park crowd of 40,801 bet $1,094,008 on the Derby, the highest off-site total in the nation.

Although attention will understandably be focused on Kentucky, 10 horses are expected to go to the post in today’s $75,000 Los Angeles Handicap, a six-furlong outing on the dirt. Debonaire Junior, carrying high weight of 126 pounds and jockey Pat Valenzuela, is expected to be a slight favorite.

Sunday’s feature will be the $150,000-added Century Handicap, a Grade I stake to be run over 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Although 28 horses were nominated, only seven are considered definite starters in the chase for the top prize, which will be supplemented by another $50,000 in Breeders’ Cup premium awards.

Lord at War, who has won five straight stakes, including the Santa Anita Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths on the dirt March 3, will move over to the grass, attempting to extend his streak. Lord at War, owned by Peter Perkins and trained by Charlie Whittingham, will carry top weight of 127 pounds, with Bill Shoemaker in the saddle.

Other expected starters are Both Ends Burning, 122 pounds, with Laffit Pincay aboard; Dahar, 122, Chris McCarron; Majestic Shore, 120, Sandy Hawley; Blind Spot, 112, Rafael Meza; Tsunami Slew, 121, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Paris Prince, 116, Ray Sibille.