HOLLYWOOD PARK : Super Mario Can Salute When Flag Is Hoisted

Super Mario, undefeated in four starts over the turf, holds a decided edge in grass experience over his competition in Saturday’s $115,600 Hoist the Flag Stakes at Hollywood Park as 10 of the 13 entrants have never started on the lawn.

The Grade II stakes for 2-year-olds will be run at a mile and is the third of four $100,000-added stakes to be contested over the holiday weekend.

Super Mario, Lituanien and Stratified have started over the turf. Super Mario won the Southampton Breeders’ Cup at Philadelphia on Oct. 9 and the Grade II Pilgrim Handicap at Aqueduct on Nov. 5.

Lituanien had a win and a third in France and was second in the Manila Handicap at Gulfstream on Nov. 5. The colt by King of Macedon out of Rose River by Riverman blew out three furlongs over the Hollywood Park lawn in :35.4. Trained by Frenchman Christian Doumen, Lituanien will have Corey Black to guide him in his local debut.

Stratified, who was claimed out a six-length maiden win for $40,000 by Julio Canani, has since finished third, fourth and sixth after leaving the maiden ranks. The gelded son of Balzac made his first start over the lawn opening day against allowance foes at one mile and finished sixth, beaten by seven lengths.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile participants Pleasant Tap and Single Dawn will be making their initial start over the lawn in the Hoist the Flag. Pleasant Tap prepped for the race with an excellent :47.0 four-furlong work over the course on Thursday. The come-from-behind winner of the seven-furlong Sunny Slope should be a late threat in race.

Single Dawn--fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, third in the Del Mar Futurity and second in the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita, all Grade I events--will be reunited with jockey Alex Solis for the Hoist the Flag. Solis rode Single Dawn in his first three starts and was aboard for his maiden win at Del Mar and his third place finish in the Del Mar Futurity. Single Dawn is second in the field in earnings with $166,880.

Del Mar Futurity winner Drag Race will be making his debut on the turf in the Hoist the Flag. The top money earner in the field with $309,938 has placed in five stakes. He was second in the Alameda County Futurity at Pleasanton, third in the De Anza, second in the Balboa Stakes and winner of the Del Mar Futurity, all at Del Mar. He was second in the Desert Wine Stakes at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Here is the complete field from the rail out: El Toreo, 114, Toro; Lituanien, 114, Black; Kept His Cool, 114, Meza; Due To The King, 114, Nakatani; Stratified, 114, Boulanger; Super Mario, 121, Pincay; Doyouseewhatisee, 121, Pedroza; Much Divorced, 114, Sibille; Hawaiian Pass, 114, no rider assigned; Single Dawn, 114, Solis; Pleasant Tap, 118, Delahoussaye; Land Rush, 114, Stevens; Drag Race, 121, Davis. Super Mario and Land Rush will race as an entry.