Couple Ready to Start Marriage as Winners

Gary Stines and Nora Gaye have been going to the races for years, but there will be something special about their visit to Hollywood Park on Saturday.

Stines, 44, and Gaye, 38, will be married in the winner’s circle before the first race. The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m.

“We’re both longtime race fans,” said Gaye, who, like her fiance, is from West Hills. “We’ve been going together for two years. We’re (racetrack) regulars. We go every week, rain or shine. One day we were having lunch at Hollywood Park and I looked down at the winner’s circle, then looked at Gary and we decided that was it. We would be married right here.”

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Horse Racing Notes

Hollywood Park will simulcast the Illinois Derby from Chicago and the Pimlico Special from Baltimore on Saturday. A field of 14 is scheduled to go in the Illinois Derby, including Louisiana Derby winner Petionville, who will be ridden by Chris Antley. Petionville lost for the first time in the Santa Anita Derby, finishing seventh in the field of eight. Cigar, the nation’s top handicap horse, will take on Concern, Kissin Kris, Dixie Hero, Frugal Doc and Devil His Due in the Pimlico Special, which is run at 1 3/16 miles.

Pat Valenzuela and Kent Desormeaux were off their mounts again Thursday. . . . Overcoming a troubled trip, favored Letthebighossroll won Thursday’s feature, a $100,000 claimer. This was the fifth victory in eight starts at Hollywood Park for the 7-year-old gelding, who was ridden by Chris McCarron for owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert. He completed the six furlongs in 1:09 1/5.