Twice The Vice Handles Her Part of the Weekend

Trainer Ron Ellis and owners Pam and Martin Wygod won the first half of the parlay Sunday at Hollywood Park, and they will try to get the other today at Golden Gate Fields.

Coming back after a layoff of more than 10 months, Twice The Vice, the 4-5 favorite, scored a workmanlike victory in the $108,100 Hawthorne Handicap, her third win in four tries on the Hollywood Park main track.

Exotic Wood, who has been away nearly 10 months, will try to emulate her stablemate and will be heavily favored to do so in the $150,000 Soviet Problem Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Golden Gate.

The two mares were entered in the Hawthorne, but the intent is to keep them apart until the Breeders’ Cup Distaff in November at Hollywood Park.

“It’s nice to [have her] back,” said Ellis. “She was training well, doing great, but it’s nice to see her run like she did today. This wasn’t the top competition, so it was ideal to have her come back against these.”

Ridden by Chris McCarron, Twice The Vice stalked the pace set by longshot Rhythminjava for nearly six furlongs, then took the lead, repelled a challenge by 6-1 shot Chile Chatte and won by a length in 1:42 3/5 for 1 1/16 miles.

Listening, the 2-1 second choice, finished third, half a length behind Chile Chatte.

“Boy, what a super job [Ellis] does getting them ready,” said McCarron. “It’s unreal. [Chile Chatte] passed us a little going into the turn, but I let my mare kick on and she really did. She finished very well.”

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Looking to defend his title, Sandpit is the 2-1 favorite against five opponents in the $400,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap, one of four stakes races today at Hollywood Park.

Making his first start since finishing third behind Singspiel and Siphon in the Dubai World Cup on April 3, Sandpit, an 8-year-old, had five rivals when he won the Turf Handicap by 3 1/2 lengths a year ago.

Opposing him are Marlin, who won the San Luis Rey Stakes and San Juan Capistrano in his final two starts at Santa Anita; Sunshack, Talloires, Rainbow Dancer and Shanawi.