Trio Is Back for More

Three horses trying to reclaim past glory are among the five horses who will contest tonight’s feature, a $62,000 allowance at 1 1/16 miles, at Hollywood Park.

Futural, Momentum and Out Of Mind will be trying for their first win of 2002 when they take on longshot Truly A Judge and Pie N Burger.

Best remembered for being disqualified on a controversial call in the Hollywood Gold Cup last July 1, Futural has fallen on hard times in the ensuing months. After finishing second in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar, he has not finished better than third in his four most recent races.

Trained by Craig Dollase, who will also be represented by Momentum, Futural stretches out to a distance that has been kind to him after finishing fourth as the 2-1 favorite going 7 1/2 furlongs on May 1. He has won two of four at 1 1/16 miles and has also been second and third.

A 4-year-old son of Nureyev, Momentum hasn’t been out since he was vanned off the track after being pulled up in the Strub Stakes on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita. In his lone dirt race at Hollywood Park, he beat Euchre and six others in the Native Diver Handicap on Dec. 9.

On Thursday in Inglewood, Like A Hero, the 9-5 second choice, may have earned himself a trip to the Belmont Stakes with a 1 1/2-length win over 2-1 third choice World Light in the $77,200 Alydar Stakes.

Trained by Beau Greely and owned by Andrea Pollack’s Columbine Stable, the 3-year-old Pleasant Colony colt completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 1/5 under jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. It was his third consecutive win after he finished second in his debut.

Azillion, the 7-5 favorite, proved his last-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes was no fluke as he finished last again in the field of five. He trailed throughout under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye and wound up 11 1/2 lengths behind Like A Hero.

Race of the day: Class dropper Painted Avenue and recent winner B.T. Gotrich are among 10 scheduled to run in tonight’s sixth at Hollywood Park, a $25,000 claimer at seven furlongs.

Who’s hot: Lynn Whiting. The trainer won with six of his first eight starters at Churchill Downs.

Who’s not: Robert Barbara. The New York-based trainer started 2002 on a two-for-50 streak.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Icee Chesapeake and Class Of Glass in the first, Coke’s Tribute and Inwood in the second and Public Domain and Taormina in the third.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 5/56. Money: Previous day/meet total: $28.80/$319.40. Total money bet: $378.