Something Is New at Hollywood Park

For the third time this decade, Hollywood Park begins a meet today under new management.

Eight years ago, former chairman and CEO R.D. Hubbard replaced Marje Everett and now the Inglewood track is the property of Churchill Downs.

Nearly three months after Churchill Downs Inc., which now has racing and simulcast operations in California, Florida, Indiana and Kentucky, completed the purchase of Hollywood Park, the track begins its new era with the first program of a 31-day autumn season.

In place are a new president, Rick Baedeker, who returns to Hollywood Park after short stays with the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn. and the Television Games Network, and a new vice president of marketing, Allen Gutterman, who comes from the East where he worked for many years for the New York Racing Assn. and at the Meadowlands.

Because of the short time since Churchill’s deal was completed, only some minor physical changes have been made at the plant, but the main track has been refurbished.

More changes are expected before the spring-summer meet begins in April, but an attitude is already being fostered, according to John Long, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Churchill Downs Inc.

“We’re doing a lot of work now that is going to pay dividends in the spring,” he said. “I believe we have two great marketing guys in Rick and Allen. We’ve been spending a lot of times with employees in staff meetings and we really want to be fan friendly.

“We’re listening to a lot of the criticisms and suggestions that have been made by people. We want to be the Nordstrom’s of racing in California.”

On the track, the highlight of the six-week season is the three-day, $2.1-million Turf Festival Nov. 26-28.

The showpiece of the six-race Festival is the $500,000 Matriarch on Nov. 28, but the race has lost a lot of its importance with the introduction last Saturday of the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Soaring Softly, who won the Filly and Mare Turf, wrapping up the female grass championship, probably would have come West for the Matriarch if there had been no Breeders’ Cup race.

Previously, the Grade I has helped such fillies and mares as Wandesta, Ryafan and Flawlessly wrap up Eclipse Awards.

This year, the 1 1/8-mile Matriarch could attract Happyanunoit, who won the Vinery First Lady at Keeneland last month for Bobby Frankel); Europeans Alborada and Dazzling Park.

The other Grade I’s to be run here are the $500,000 Hollywood Derby the same day as the Matriarch, the $400,000 Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 4, the $200,000 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 18 and the $200,000 Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 19.

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The feature on the opening card is the $70,000-added Safely Kept Handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Six fillies and mares were entered, topped by Royal Shyness and Desert Lady.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockeys Chris McCarron and Alex Solis have opportunities to reach Hollywood Park milestones during the meet. With 247 stakes wins, McCarron can become only the third rider--joining Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay--to reach 250 stakes victories at the track. Solis needs three wins to become the seventh jockey to have won 1,000 times at Hollywood Park.

Ron McAnally needs three stakes wins at the meet to become the second trainer with 100 at the track. Only the late Charlie Whittingham, who had 222, won more stakes at Hollywood than McAnally. . . .

Times handicapper Bob Mieszerski led all public handicappers with 105 winners, two more than the Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free, at the Oak Tree meet, which ended Monday. This was the second consecutive meeting where Mieszerski led. He finished at Del Mar with 118 victories. He also showed a flat-bet profit at Oak Tree.

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Hollywood Park Facts

* Dates: Today-Dec. 20 (31 days)

* Racing: Wednesday-Sunday, except for Mon., Dec. 20.

* Post Time: 12:30 p.m. except 11 a.m. Nov. 25 and 7 p.m. Nov. 12 and Nov. 19.