Weekend Racing at Hollywood Park : Belmont a Bonanza: 40,000 Expected

Hollywood Park will draw the largest television studio audience in the country today when more than 40,000 show up to watch hometown favorite Sunday Silence try to sweep thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown by winning the Belmont Stakes 3,000 miles away in Elmont, N.Y.

At least another 20,000 more fans will jam the intertrack betting outlets around Southern California to get a glimpse of possible history in the making, and to place a bet as well.

More than $4.2 million was legally bet in Southern California this year on the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, and most of it landed squarely on Sunday Silence’s dark brown nose.

The Belmont amounts to a windfall for Hollywood Park, which has been experiencing a decline in average attendance this season of about 4% compared to last year’s all-time lowest figures. However, the prospect of a California-based Triple Crown winner figures to give the track its biggest crowd of the season.

Once the Belmont is in the books--it will be run at about 2:35 p.m. PDT--local fans will have two sprint stakes on Saturday and a turf race for 3-year-olds on Sunday to fill the void.

Santa Anita Oaks winner Imaginary Lady, fresh from victory in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico, heads the field today for the Railbird Stakes at seven furlongs. Hot Novel figures to offer the stiffest competition.

Later in the afternoon, Mi Preferido, a winner of two Grade I races at 1 1/8 miles, will play the sprint game in the Los Angeles Handicap at six furlongs. Among those lying in wait is Sam Who, the track record holder for the distance.

And on Sunday, we will find out if Notorious Pleasure, the Will Rogers Handicap winner, really has turned into a monster on the turf, or has been simply beating up on patsies since trainer Hector Palma switched him to the grass.

In the $107,100 Cinema Handicap at 1 1/8 miles, Notorious Pleasure will be up against Luge II, who wrapped up 1988 by taking the Laurel Futurity in Maryland, and this season he has won one of three starts.