Five Graded Stakes at Hollywood Park

This could be a lucrative weekend for former claimers at Hollywood Park.

Three thoroughbreds who once ran for a tag have legitimate shots to win 60% of the five graded stakes to be run in Inglewood the next two afternoons.

Budroyale, who began his career in a $32,000 maiden claimer, will be the pacesetter in the four-horse, $1-million Sempra Energy Hollywood Gold Cup on Sunday.

Reraise, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint and Eclipse champion as the nation’s top sprinter, debuted in a maiden claimer in 1997. He will make his first Southern California start of the year as the 125-pound high weight and favorite in another Sunday race, the $300,000 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Invitational Handicap.

Gourmet Girl, 15-1 when she won her first time out against $32,000 maidens at Hollywood Park in 1997, will be one of the fillies and mares trying to knock off Manistique in the $400,000 Vanity Handicap today.

Trained by Pico Perdomo for owner Gary Tanaka, who purchased her privately earlier this year, Gourmet Girl will be trying for her second consecutive Grade I win after taking the Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap on May 31.

A California-bred daughter of Cee’s Tizzy, who is also the sire of Budroyale, Gourmet Girl hasn’t been risked in a claimer since her initial start, which came the day before Breeders’ Cup XIV was run at Hollywood Park.

In 14 races since, Gourmet Girl has missed the board only twice and has picked up five victories, two of them for Tanaka.

She’ll try Manistique for the third time in the Vanity, the prime event for fillies and mares at this meet, and will be trying to hand the 4-5 favorite her first loss in eight races in California. Owned by Marshall Naify’s 505 Farms and trained by John Shirreffs, the daughter of Unbridled is 0 for 2 elsewhere.

Gourmet Girl, who will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, nearly beat Manistique in the El Encino at Santa Anita, missing by a head in a race in which only three started, before losing by five lengths in the La Canada three weeks later.

Horse Racing Notes

Santa Anita Derby winner General Challenge will make his first start since finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby in the $125,000 Affirmed Handicap, a prep for next month’s Swaps Stakes, this afternoon. . . . Lazy Lode is the 122-pound high weight for the day’s other added-money race, the $69,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap.