Field Is Small but Contenders Many in Railbird

Even though today’s $150,000 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park attracted only five 3-year-old fillies, the Grade II race is contentious.

A case of some sort can be made for four of those scheduled to participate--Abby Girl, Wired To Fly, Cover Gal and Classic Olympio. It would be shocking only if Miss Pixie, the longest shot in the compact field at 15-1, were to win the seven-furlong Railbird.

Fresh off a victory in last month’s Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita, Abby Girl is the 8-5 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line. Trained by Craig Dollase for owner Stephan Herold, the daughter of Meadowlake has not been worse than third in six career starts and the Santa Paula was her third victory.

Among Abby Girl’s victims on April 16 was Classic Olympio, who reportedly bled when finishing third as the 4-5 favorite and will be treated with Lasix today. She is the 2-1 second choice.

Classic Olympio, trained by Ron McAnally for owner Verne Winchell, is eligible to turn the tables on Abby Girl. When the two got together here last fall in the Moccasin Stakes, Classic Olympio was a three-length winner.

Wired To Fly and Cover Gal, meanwhile, finished 1-2 in the Melair Stakes on April 30. Owned by a partnership that includes Ed Wachtel and trained by Joe Devereux, Wired To Fly welcomed a return to Inglewood when capturing the Melair, one of the California-bred stakes on Gold Rush Day. Dismissed at 30-1, Wired To Fly beat Cover Gal by a nose and remained perfect in three starts at Hollywood Park.

Cover Gal, who will be ridden for the first time today by Laffit Pincay Jr., is eligible to reverse things in the Railbird. She will wear blinkers again for trainer Lance Stokes, she will move off the rail. She and Wired To Fly will carry 122 pounds. Cover Gal had to spot the upset winner six pounds in the Melair. A winner of five of seven lifetime, Cover Gal is the 5-2 third choice.

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Kisbey, who broke her maiden in her debut at Golden Gate Fields last month, is the 5-2 favorite for the $75,000-added Nursery Stakes, the first local 2-year-old stakes of the year.

Trained by Jeff Bonde, who won Hollywood Park’s Cinderella Stakes in consecutive years with Bent Creek City in 1997 and Western Woman in ‘98, Kisbey was flattered when Song Of The Moment, the filly she edged by a nose on April 30, returned to win Friday as the prohibitive favorite. Corey Nakatani will ride the Thunder Gulch filly for owners James and Bobbie Vreeland.

Completing the field for the 4 1/2-furlong race are Sturge Weber, Cyk Katie, Bar Breeze, Euro Empire, Native Dazzler, Shine Up Ciel, Prime Cut, Elaine’s Angel and Golden Ballet.

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Beautiful Pleasure, the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Eclipse winner as the top older filly or mare in 1999, will try to rebound from a disappointing 5-year-old debut in the $200,000 Shuvee Handicap today at Belmont Park.

After breaking poorly and racing in traffic throughout, Beautiful Pleasure finished fifth as the 4-5 favorite in the Apple Blossom Handicap last month at Oaklawn Park.

Against only four opponents in the Shuvee, a Grade II at a flat mile, the 5-year-old mare, who ended last year with consecutive victories in the Personal Ensign, Beldame and Breeders’ Cup Distaff, should make amends for owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward. Kiss Me Kris, Up We Go, Biogio’s Rose and Belle Cherie complete the field.

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Dr. Jack Robbins has been elected president of the Oak Tree Racing Assn., succeeding the late Clement L. Hirsch, who was president of the association from its inception in 1968 until his death in March. Robbins was an original board member and a vice president for Oak Tree, which will begin its 2000 meet Oct. 4 at Santa Anita. . . . Besides the Preakness, Hollywood Park will also take wagering today on the Sir Barton, Dixie, Pimlico Distaff Handicap and Maryland Breeders’ Cup Handicap from Pimlico.