HOLLYWOOD PARK : All Is Forgiven: Now Listen Wins the Triple Bend

Bobby Frankel and Kent Desormeaux were all smiles after the $111,400 Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park on Saturday, a far cry from the way things were six days earlier after the Jolypha debacle in the Beverly Hills Handicap.

Avoiding trouble, something he didn’t do against Flawlessly and two others, Desormeaux directed Now Listen to a come-from-behind upset in the Triple Bend, beating Cardmania by three-quarters of a length in 1:20 4/5 for the seven furlongs--tying the track record.

Sixth behind an intense pace battle down the backside, the 6-year-old Miswaki horse found room and went on to win for the eighth time in 18 starts, the second time in as many tries with Desormeaux.

Hardly Frankel’s favorite rider after the Beverly Hills, Desormeaux is back in good graces and all has been forgiven.

“It was just a mistake,” Frankel said of the Jolypha ride. “(Desormeaux) said it was the worst ride he’s ever given and I don’t figure him to do the same thing. It wasn’t the end of the world. It wasn’t the race we were aiming for. (Jolypha) came back fine, and we’ll get another shot.”

This was the first start in California in more than a year for the well-traveled Now Listen, who had run in New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Florida in the previous 14 months.

Fourth in the Roseben Handicap at Belmont Park in his last start on May 29, he had trained well at Santa Anita and was back on Lasix Saturday.

“He probably wasn’t sharp enough for that race,” Frankel said of the Roseben. “That race woke him up and got him fit enough for this race.”

Cardmania, who also benefited by the fast fractions (21 3/5 and 43 4/5 for the half-mile) finished a half-length in front of Star Of The Crop. Favored Finder’s Fortune faded to eighth in the field of 10.

“He won’t run on the inside,” jockey Eddie Delahoussaye said of the runner-up. “He’ll run, but he won’t try--he hesitates and checks himself. So Desormeaux got through and I had to go wide and got beat (by three-quarters of a length). What are you going to do? He tried, but if you put him on the inside, he doesn’t run the same way.”

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Codified made it four victories in six starts in the $161,600 Affirmed Handicap, but it wasn’t easy.

On the lead throughout under Gary Stevens, the 3-2 favorite held on to beat 11-1 shot Roman Image by a nose in 1:48 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

“I didn’t think (Codified won),” trainer David Hofmans said. “I thought it was either a dead heat or . . . because the photos always favor the outside. Gary said he ran great, ran hard. We’ll see what happens now.”

A 3-year-old son of Lear Fan, Codified will probably return in the 1 1/4-mile Swaps Stakes on July 25.

“This makes us lean toward the Swaps,” Hofmans said. “I think this horse is still green and Gary said he thought the race would really help him.”

Future Storm, the 2-1 second choice, was third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Roman Image in his first start on the dirt and first for trainer Richard Cross.

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The Frankel-trained entry of Toussaud and Modernise is the 2-1 favorite in the $220,000 American Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the turf today at Hollywood Park, but only the former is expected to start.

A 4-year-old El Gran Senor filly, Toussaud was scratched from the Beverly Hills Handicap a week ago in favor of taking on males today. Desormeaux will ride Toussaud, winner of the Wilshire and Gamely handicaps at the meeting.

Man From Eldorado, the upset winner of this race a year ago, is the 5-2 second choice. Delahoussaye has the mount for trainer Neil Drysdale and the 5-year-old Mr. Prospector horse is coming in off a May 29 allowance victory.

The rest of the field includes Blaze O’Brien, Journalism, Bistro Garden, Bossanova and Portoferraio.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Julio Garcia was scheduled to leave for his native Puerto Rico today after riding five horses Saturday, including The Great Miswaki to a 9-1 upset in the ninth race. Garcia had 29 winners at the Hollywood Park meeting. . . . There is a carryover in the Pick Six of more than $235,000.