HOLLYWOOD PARK : With Leading 2-Year-Olds Missing, Futurity Draws an Overflow Field

With Arazi and Bertrando, thoroughbred racing’s top two 2-year-olds, through for the year, the $500,000 Hollywood Futurity drew an overflow field Friday morning.

Fourteen were entered in the Grade I stake, and if all start, it will be the largest field in the Futurity, which has been run since 1981. Run at a mile the previous six years, the Futurity is back to 1 1/16 miles, the distance it was from 1981 through ’84.

The connections of many of the entrants might have thought otherwise if Arazi, the Breeders’ Cup sensation, or Bertrando, the Del Mar Futurity and Norfolk Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup runner-up, had been running Sunday, but in their absence, the field could top the 13 who went in 1984.

Six horses were supplemented for $25,000, including Star Of The Crop, who will be one of the favorites. After breaking his maiden at Oak Tree, the son of Relaunch overcame a rough trip and upset Salt Lake in the seven-furlong Hollywood Prevue Breeder’ Cup Stakes on Nov. 16.

Star Of The Crop will be trying two turns for the first time Sunday, but Gary Stevens and trainer Willard Proctor are confident the horse will handle the extra distance.

“The way he ran (in the Prevue), I don’t see a problem with (two turns),” Stevens said. “He took dirt in his face and he’s got the right kind of style.”

A.P. Indy is the most expensive horse in the lineup and is the 5-2 morning line favorite. A $2.9-million yearling and a half brother of Summer Squall, A.P. Indy has won two of his three starts for trainer Neil Drysdale.

A well beaten fourth in his debut at Del Mar, he broke his maiden easily over an off track at Santa Anita, then was sent to Bay Meadows and toyed with an allowance field. The race also gave him some experience at a distance.

“Hopefully, he’ll continue to improve,” said Eddie Delahoussaye, who has been aboard the Seattle Slew colt in all three of his races. “I think he’s got a lot of talent and I think he should go on to do great things if he stays healthy, and I don’t see why he shouldn’t.

“He’s still green and he’s still coming, which probably is good. It’s better than having a horse that knows it all and isn’t going to go any further. This horse has a chance to get better, the way he runs, because he’s not seasoned and doesn’t know exactly what to do. So, that’s kind of exciting. We know he can go around two turns, and if he improves like he has every race, I think he’ll be awfully tough.”

Wayne Lukas, who has won this race three times, with Grand Canyon, Tejano and Stalwart, will try for another with Dance Floor, who drew the rail and will be ridden by Chris Antley. Owned by the family of rap star Hammer, Dance Floor followed up his sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a six-length victory in the Brown and Williamson Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 30. That was his third victory in his last four starts.

“This colt always displayed ability, but he really found himself when he started going two turns,” said Jeff Lukas, assistant to his father. “He covers a lot of ground with his stride. He’s a different colt around two turns.”

The other horses in the Futurity are Zurich, who finished second to Bertrando in both the Norfolk and the Del Mar Futurity; Casual Lies; Silver Ray, who won a division of the Hoist The Flag Stakes on turf in his last start; recent maiden winners Old Master, Real West and Lyphard Legend; Turbulent Kris and Spudabaker, and Top Senator, Silent Raj and Whatcom Warrior, who will make up the mutuel field. Besides Star Of The Crop, the supplementary entries are Lyphard Legend, Turbulent Kris, Silver Ray, Old Master and Real West.

Soviet Sojourn, who was 11th of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, is the 5-2 favorite for today’s $250,000 Hollywood Starlet at 1 1/16 miles.

Second in the Oak Leaf and Del Mar Debutante before her terrible performance in Kentucky, Soviet Sojourn has been training well for Bob Baffert and will be reunited with Corey Nakatani. He was aboard for her victories in the Junior Miss and Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.

Hopeful Amber, who hasn’t lost in three starts, is the 3-1 second choice. Trained by Lewis Cenicola, Hopeful Amber will be ridden by David Flores and has the inside post.

The other 2-year-old fillies set to run are Pennant Fever, Pat Valenzuela; Looie Capote, Kent Desormeaux; Crownette, Antley; Golden Treat, Chris McCarron; Magical Maiden, Stevens, and More Than Willing, Delahoussaye.

Horse Racing Notes

Publicity’s Lad, who won Friday’s first race, collapsed and died after the race. An autopsy will be performed on the 3-year-old gelding, who was owned by L. Chris Wiemken and trained by Glen Stute. . . . Eddie Delahoussaye and Martin Pedroza both won twice Friday. . . . In the race before the Starlet, a field of nine will go in the $60,000 Life’s Hope at 1 1/16 miles. Run On The Bank, who upset Letthebighossroll in the On Trust Handicap on Thanksgiving, is the 5-2 morning-line choice. Other contenders include Perforce, Admirallus, Tokatee and Bold Current.