A Lack of Quickness

None of the seven thoroughbreds entered in today’s $100,000-added Quicken Tree Stakes at Hollywood Park is anywhere near as good as the horse the 1 1/2-mile turf race is named after.

Owned in partnership and bred in California by the late Lou Rowan and trained by Bill Canney, Quicken Tree, a gelded son of Royal Orbit, won 15 races and earned more than $718,000 in a five-year career (1966-70). His stakes victories included an unlikely parlay when he was a 7-year-old.

After overcoming a terrible start to win the 1970 Santa Anita Handicap at nearly 9-1, beating a field that included Fiddle Isle, Dewan, Nodouble and Figonero, Quicken Tree returned less than a month later to finish in a dead heat with Fiddle Isle in the San Juan Capistrano. In a turf thriller, Quicken Tree and Fiddle Isle finished a nose in front of Fort Marcy, who was a neck better than Hitchcock.

In the race named in Quicken Tree’s honor, Continental Red is the 124-pound high weight and he’s trying to rebound after a series of poor races to begin 2003. In three starts since winning the Great State Challenge Classic Dec. 7 at Sam Houston in Texas, the 7-year-old gelding has finished eighth in the Sunshine Millions Classic, last in the San Luis Obispo and sixth in the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap last month.

Trained by Ian Jory for owner-breeders Sharon and Wes Fitzpatrick, Continental Red could improve with the drop in against Cal-breds. He’s also reunited with Patrick Valenzuela, who has been aboard for his last two wins.

Race of the day: The fifth at Hollywood Park is a $51,000 optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf; a case can be made for most of the 11 horses.

One for the road: Sassy Won will try for her fourth consecutive win and looks like the controlling speed in today’s 10th at Bay Meadows, the final race of the meet. The Corslew filly can turn a quick profit for her new connections, owner Bob Gilley and trainer J.T. Marshall, who claimed her for $6,250 on June 4.

Exotically speaking: An exacta box in the fifth using Crash McGoon, Dareto and My Candi’s Gold.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/102. Money: Previous day/meet total: $12/$557.60. Total money bet: $672.