HOLLYWOOD PARK : Rhapsodic Wins Landaluce, Extends Streak for Mayberry

Although the tactics were different, the result was still the same in the $104,800 Landaluce at Hollywood Park on Saturday.

Trainer Brian Mayberry won the race for the fourth consecutive time, but unlike Zealous Connection, Fluttery Danseur and Garden Gal the previous three years, Rhapsodic came from far off the pace to win.

A twice-beaten maiden before the Landaluce, Rhapsodic was running on Lasix for the first time. She surged under Eddie Delahoussaye to catch favored Miss Gibson County and win by three lengths in 1:10 2/5 for the six furlongs.

Purchased as a yearling for $90,000 by owners Jerry and Ann Moss, the Dixieland Band filly finished second to stablemate Frigid Coed in her first start on May 22, then had trouble and finished fifth on June 20.

“She had a rough trip and went way wide,” Mayberry said.

“I thought her last race was very good--in fact, I thought it was a terrific race.”

Miss Gibson County, the 2-1 favorite who was trying to give jockey Martin Pedroza his fourth consecutive victory in the Landaluce, finished a half-length in front of Becky’s Appeal, her stablemate in the Bob Baffert barn.

Outrun early by longshot Spiritual Path, Miss Gibson County moved up to get the lead before a half-mile, opened up a length with a furlong to go, but was no match late for Rhapsodic.

“She relaxed very well,” Pedroza said of Miss Gibson County. “She really proved that race up north was a good one. That’s why I wanted to ride her instead of (fifth-place finisher Frigid Coed).

“Maybe she’s just a (front-running) filly, but the filly who ran her down, they were high on the first time she ran.”

Delahoussaye, who rode Frigid Coed when she broke her maiden the day Rhapsodic was second, took over on the winner because of an injury to Paul Atkinson.

“Brian said today, ‘Last time, she got in a lot of trouble. There will be enough (front-runners) in there, just lay off (them). If she’s good enough, she’ll get there.’

“If she continues to improve, she’ll be a nice filly for Del Mar because she’ll go on. She galloped out. I only hit her once or twice.”

Dance With Grace, the 5-2 second choice, finished eighth in the field of nine.

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Seeking her sixth victory in seven starts, Likeable Style is the 6-5 favorite in the $220,400 Hollywood Oaks today at Hollywood Park.

Owned by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trained by Richard Mandella, the 3-year-old Nijinsky II filly suffered her only defeat in the Santa Anita Oaks. She finished sixth that day at 11-10 odds, but was injured and didn’t run again for more than two months.

Since returning to the races, Likeable Style won the Senorita Breeders’ Cup Handicap on turf and the Honeymoon Handicap in the mud. Gary Stevens, who was aboard for the filly’s first four races, is back on today in the 1 1/8 miles Oaks.

Fit To Lead, also trained by Mandella, is the 4-1 second choice, but she might be scratched in favor of either the Test Stakes at Saratoga later this month or the San Clemente at Del Mar.

Other entrants in the Grade I race are Swazi’s Moment (Corey Nakatani, 6-1), Hollywood Wildcat (Delahoussaye, 15-1), Fondly Remembered (Laffit Pincay, 30-1), Added Asset (Pat Valenzuela, 15-1), Nortena (David Flores, 30-1), Passing Vice (Kent Desormeaux, 6-1) and Adorydar (Goncalino Almeida, 6-1).

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Snake Eyes beat Lt. Pinkerton and favored Lykatill Hil in a blanket finish and won the $100,000 Round Table at Arlington International.

Ridden by Wigberto Ramos and trained by Steve Morguelan, the 3-year-old Dixieland Band colt won by a neck in 1:49 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf. Lt. Pinkerton was a neck in front of Lykatill Hil, the 13-10 favorite.

Snake Eyes paid $6.60 in Illinois and $7.60 at Hollywood Park, where the race was simulcast.

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Birdonthewire, the longest shot in the field at 10-1, equaled the stakes record in winning the Tom Fool Saturday at Belmont Park.

Ridden by Craig Perret, Birdonthewire beat 4-5 favorite Fly So Free by nearly two lengths in 1:20 4/5 for the seven furlongs. Take Me Out, the 9-5 second choice, was third, two lengths behind Fly So Free.

Horse Racing Notes

Hollywood Park will offer betting on the Queen’s Plate from Woodbine in Toronto between the third and fourth races today. . . . If Harlem’s Boy had won the ninth race Saturday, Hollywood Park would have paid out a $500,000 bonus for the one winning Pick Six ticket that was purchased on-track. Second early, Harlem’s Boy faded to fifth. . . . Saithor, a 2-year-old half-brother to A.P. Indy, worked a half-mile in 50 seconds Saturday morning.