To Repeat Is Tough Feat

If recent form holds, Bosque Redondo will not win the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

The 5-year-old Mane Minister horse will be ridden by Chris McCarron, who won the Grade II last year, and no jockey has repeated in the LeRoy since Kent Desormeaux won with Marquetry in 1993, a year after he had won with Another Review.

Based on recent form, Bosque Redondo is the one to beat in the 11/16-mile race, which is the first prep for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 14.

Owned and bred by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trained by Paco Gonzalez, who won the LeRoy in 1994 with Del Mar Dennis, Bosque Redondo won two in a row at Santa Anita. After beating Reba’s Gold by a head in the Tokyo City Handicap on March 9, the chestnut won the San Bernardino Handicap by a head over Mysterious Cat on April 6.

The horse Bosque Redondo will have to catch is Sky Jack, who has won all three of his races at Hollywood Park. Last after being cooked on a quick pace in the Santa Anita Handicap, the 6-year-old gelding will break from the rail and he has trained well for his first start in more than two months.

Race of the day: Xtra Heat will seek her 20th victory in her 26th start in the $150,000 Genuine Risk Handicap today at Belmont Park.

This will be the first race for the 4-year-old filly since she was third behind Caller One and Echo Eddie in the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 23.

Who’s hot: Fly Borboleta. The 3-year-old Pulpit filly will try for a second consecutive victory in today’s fifth at Churchill Downs after breaking her maiden by 173/4 lengths on April 10 at Keeneland.

Who’s not: Edward Frederick. The trainer, who is based in Kentucky, has won with only one of 40 starters in 2002.

Exotically speaking: Single Fastasaspeednbulit in the seventh, Sky Jack in the eighth and use all in the ninth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/33. Money: Previous day/meet total: $7.20/$176.80. Total money bet: $242.