Dahlia Handicap Draws a Competitive Field

While the $200,000-added Hollywood Futurity is viewed as Lion Heart’s race to lose, the other graded stakes on today’s card at Hollywood Park is wide-open.

Ten fillies and mares will get together in the $150,000 Dahlia Handicap, a Grade II at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, and a case can be made for a majority of the entrants.

Bobby Frankel, who has won the Dahlia six times and appears headed to another Eclipse Award as the country’s top trainer, is scheduled to send out the entry of Betty’s Wish and Personal Legend, both of whom are owned by Ed Gann.

Purchased privately earlier this year, Betty’s Wish, a 3-year-old daughter of Gold Case, failed to win in her first three starts for Frankel, but arrives in California on a four-race win streak.

She began her roll with a 10 1/2-length victory on a muddy track at Saratoga, then won three consecutive starts on the grass at Belmont Park.

Corey Nakatani will ride.

A 3-year-old Awesome Again filly, Personal Legend won for the first time since joining the Frankel barn when beating weaker allowance rivals as the 2-5 favorite here on Nov. 15.

Other prime contenders include Adalgisa, Moscow Burning, a California-bred who has won three in a row on the turf for trainer Jim Cassidy, Blind Ambition, Katdogawn and Hoh Buzzard.

Race of the day: Proceed With Care, who is fresh off consecutive daylight victories on the main track, will try to keep his streak going as he switches to the turf for new trainer Rafael Becerra in today’s seventh at Hollywood Park. The race is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $79,976.

One for the road: Baie drops out of back-to-back Grade I races to tackle lesser in today’s $75,000 Pago Hop at about one mile on the turf at the Fair Grounds.

The 3-year-old Green Tune filly gets Robby Albarado and could be a single in the pick four.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Proceed With Care, Motto and Little Ghazi in the seventh, Spring Festival and Siphonette in the eighth, the Betty’s Wish-Personal Legend entry, Adalgisa and Moscow Burning in the ninth and singling Speedy Pick in the 10th.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/87. Money: Previous day/meet total: $22.60/$475.60. Total money bet: $476.