Hollypark Gets OK for Four Night Programs

The California Horse Racing Board Thursday unanimously approved Hollywood Park’s request for four consecutive Friday night programs.

“The board opined that it’s a very worthwhile experiment,” said Don Robbins, Hollywood Park’s general manager. “It went very quickly and painlessly. We still have to meet with the horsemen and work out some of the details, such as the post time, the lighting, and lessening the burden on their help. I don’t expect that this will be a protracted process.”

The board’s action came during its regular monthly meeting, at the Airport Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles.

Hollywood Park, which had an evening program in 1988 to celebrate the track’s 50th anniversary and again last year to honor Bill Shoemaker, will offer night racing on June 22 and 29, and July 6 and 13. Post time will be between 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Horse Racing Notes

For the record: It was erroneously reported that Don Alexander would call the races at Hollywood Park through next Monday. His last day was Wednesday. Australians John Tapp and Michael Wrona began work on Thursday, and the former will call most of the races before departing after the Memorial Day card. Wrona will then be on his own beginning next Wednesday.

Trainer Roger Stein was fined $1,000 by stewards Pete Pedersen, Hubert Jones and Tom Ward after Cherokee Kiss, who finished second in the fifth race on May 2, tested positive for an excess level of butazolidin. . . . Apprentice William Mahorney Jr. scored his first Southland victory Wednesday when he rode 13-1 shot To Be Impressive wire to wire in the first race. . . . Victories by 22-1 longshot Sawsan, 47-1 outsider Mirabelle Queen and 3-1 winner Royal Alladin provided a $38,963.40 payoff in Thursday’s middle triple, the third highest triple payoff in track history.