No Rest for Da Hot Affair

It wasn’t surprising there was a scratch Friday morning from today’s third race at Hollywood Park, a 71/2-furlong affair for older fillies and mares running for a $12,500 claiming price.

The shock was that the early declaration was Answerback, not Da Hot Affair.

As it stands now, Da Hot Affair, a 5-year-old Flying Victor mare, will run for the second time in three days.

In case anyone missed it, the California-bred ran in Thursday’s opener in Inglewood, fading to a well-beaten fifth in a starter allowance contest after prompting the pace on a wet, fast track.

Owned by a partnership and trained by Doug O’Neill, Da Hot Affair will again be ridden by Luis Jauregui. The competition is much softer this afternoon and she has had success at Hollywood Park, winning two of five.

Later on the program, trainer Bobby Frankel will try to add another Grade I victory to his resume when he sends out three runners--Super Quercus, Northern Quest and Sumitas--in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup at 11/2 miles.

Frankel, who won the Matriarch with Starine and the Hollywood Derby with Denon six days ago, will be looking for his second win in the Turf Cup. He scored in 1997 with River Bay.

The Turf Cup will be the final leg of a new pick four, which includes two races from Calder and two races from Hollywood Park. The races are the 11th and 12th from the Florida track and the fifth and sixth from Hollypark.

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Race of the day: The presence of Hallowed Dreams spices up the $60,000 Dr. A.B. Leggio Memorial Handicap today at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Scheduled for 51/2 furlongs on the turf, the Leggio attracted 11 entrants, topped by Hallowed Dreams, the 4-year-old Malagra filly who has won 24 of 26 in her career for co-owner and trainer Lloyd Romero. If the race stays on the grass--there has been no turf racing at the Fair Grounds the last couple of days--the Louisiana-bred will be right at home. Hallowed Dreams is two for two on the grass.

Who’s hot: Rio Oro. The 6-year-old Oraibi gelding, who was claimed for $4,000 earlier this year, will try for his fourth consecutive win in today’s $55,000-added Albany Handicap at Golden Gate Fields.

Who’s not: Pal Casper. What a runner this gray son of Jaunty Vigors has been. In three starts, he has yet to beat a horse and has been beaten by a combined 73 lengths. Idle since April 21, he’s in for more grief in today’s second at Hollywood Park.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Revello in the first, using Penteliano and Jerry’s Call in the second, and Da Hot Affair, Accell, Got The Memo and Blond Del in the third.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 1/38. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $5.40/$212. Total money bet: $310.