It Could Be Strong Finish

Before his final ride today aboard Came Home in the Affirmed Handicap, jockey Chris McCarron has a chance to pad his win total.

The world’s sixth-winningest rider, McCarron will ride races two through seven at Hollywood Park and all of his mounts are contenders.

In the second, a $51,000 optional claimer for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, McCarron will be on Trackofthecat, who is the co-third choice at 4-1 on Russ Hudak’s morning line.

McCarron will ride Miss Hennessy in the third, a six-furlong race for $62,500 maiden fillies and mares. The Hennessy filly hasn’t been out since Aug. 12, but has trained well for Mike Machowsky. In the fourth, a $51,000 optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, Always Game is McCarron’s mount. The veteran gray has won six of 16, with his last victory coming on April 27 on the Hollywood Park grass with McCarron aboard.Blind Ambition, a debuting Political Ambition filly, is McCarron’s mount in the fifth, a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race for fillies and mares.

Come Back Ronnie, who won for McCarron on April 26, is a contender in a wide-open sixth, a one mile turf affair for $62,500 claimers.

It concludes with Came Home, the 6-5 favorite on the morning line who will almost certainly be a shorter price in the Affirmed.

Race of the day: Besides Always Game, the fifth brings out win machine Fit For A King and Endless Summer, who was a top 2-year-old in England in 2000.

Who’s hot: McCarron. For parts of four decades, he has been at the top of his profession and is arguably the best position rider and one of the best on the turf.

Who’s not: The field in today’s first at Hollywood Park. The eight $8,000 claimers are three of 47 in 2002.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using all in the sixth, singling Came Home in the seventh, Virginia Miss and Atlantic Ocean in the eighth and singling Yolanda’s Pride in the ninth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/118. Money: Previous day/meet total: $17/$687.40. Total money bet: $756.