A Classic Hollywood Finish

If today’s card is any indication, Hollywood Park is going to finish its fall meeting with a flourish.

Full fields are the rule rather than the exception today, and the 10-race program also includes three graded stakes races.

Besides the Hollywood Futurity, which will match Officer, Siphonic and six other 2-year-olds, the track will offer the $150,000 Dahlia Handicap for fillies and mares on the turf and the $150,000 Bayakoa Handicap, also for fillies and mares, but on the main track.

Besides riding Siphonic in the day’s main event, Jerry Bailey, the country’s leading jockey with more than $22 million in purse earnings in 2001, will ride Vencera for trainer Neil Drysdale in the Dahlia and Starrer for Dave Hofmans in the Bayakoa.

The filly to beat in the Dahlia is probably Heads Will Roll, a 3-year-old trained by Bobby Frankel.

She has won her last two starts in her own age group and today’s tGrade II will be her first race against older ladies.

She has won four of nine overall and has been worse than third only once. She was fifth in her debut on May 16, 2000 in France.

In the Bayakoa, Tranquility Lake will aim for her fourth stakes victory of the year for owners Marty and Pam Wygod and trainer Julio Canani.

Besides kicking off the local pick six, the Bayakoa will be the third leg of a special pick four linking races from Calder Race Course and Hollywood Park.

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Race of the day: There are several good betting races on the Inglewood program. The sixth is a wide-open turf race for older claimers, and the seventh and eighth are two good allowance races, one at 61/2 furlongs and the other at 11/16 miles.

Who’s hot: First Stringer. The 5-year-old gelding, who will run in today’s fifth at Golden Gate Fields, has won two in a row, three of his last four and is 10 of 33 in his career.

Who’s not: The field in today’s sixth at Golden Gate Fields. The 11 entrants have combined for 90 losses.

Topping the list is Double Our Flag, who has been beaten 26 times.

Exotically speaking: A trifecta in the sixth putting Bonotto on top with Literal Prowler, Prize Giving and Color Me Matt C in the two hole and all in the third spot.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 4/63. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $17.20/$333.20. Total money bet: $480.