RACING NOTES : Desormeaux Has Become the King of the Opener

Kent Desormeaux, the second-leading rider at Hollywood Park’s fall meeting with a winning clip of over 18%, has become the King of the Opener.

Through 27 race dates, the 20-year-old Louisianian had scored with seven of his 21 rides in the first race for an exceptional winning percentage of 33%.

Desormeaux registered his latest opening-race victory in Wednesday’s first aboard favored Gentlemen’s Style at $5.20.

The win was Desormeaux’s 33rd of the meeting and left him eight behind the leader, Chris McCarron.

Frost Free, winner of the Grade III Vernon O. Underwood at Hollywood Park last month, has been high-weighted at 121 pounds among the 17 nominees to Saturday’s $75,000 Hollywood Turf Express

Frost Free was assigned one pound more than Earn Your Stripes and John Sadler-trained stablemate Valiant Pete for the 6-furlong dash on Hollywood Park’s grass course.

Weights for the Hollywood Turf Express:

b-Frost Free, 121; Earn Your Stripes, 120, b-Valiant Pete, 120; Yes I’m Blue, 118; Summer Sale, 116; All Of Me, 115; Answer Do, 115; Despatch, 115; One Drink, 115; Sam Who, 115; Thirty Slews, 115; Waterscape, 115; b- Roman Avie, 114; a-Farma Way, 113; Navajo Storm, 113, a-Santa Tecla, 113, and Sulaymi, 113.

a-D. Wayne Lukas-trained entry.

b-John W. Sadler-trained entry

A strong field of nine, including recent stakes winners Royal Bushwhacker and Tollcat, will go to the post in the $30,000 added Ivan Ashment Handicap on Friday night at Los Alamitos.

The Ashment is for 2-year-olds and will be contested over 400 yards as the ninth race on the 13-race program.

Royal Bushwhacker has been assigned high weight of 123 pounds in the Ashment but he will have a tough time in the race while facing recent stakes winner Tollcat and Send Me Satin, who is fresh from a very speedy allowance win.

The Kenneth Roberts-trained Royal Bushwhacker is fresh from a win in the Grade I Quarter Horse Breeders Juvenile Classic.

Also in the field are Merridocs Moon Lark, My Escalon, Up Next, Kalitissima, Jacks Special Gem and BCR On The Wildside.