Hope Rises Tries Hollywood

Although her margin of victory was only a length, Hope Rises was one of the easier winners during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

Debuting for the Jay Em Ess Stable of Mace and Samantha Siegel and trainer Ron Ellis on Oct. 31, the 3-year-old filly stayed a couple of lengths off the pace, then was coaxed into the lead by jockey David Flores and won with plenty in reserve.

Purchased at the November 2000 Keeneland sale for $210,000, Hope Rises will make her first start against winners today in the seventh at Hollywood Park.

She is the 6-5 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line against five opponents in the $41,000 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs.

If there is a knock on Hope Rises, it would be the fact that Future Thought, her stablemate and runner-up in that maiden race, returned to run poorly as the favorite in the second race at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

The only other last-out winner in the lineup is Shining Strike, who hasn’t raced since winning a $32,000 claimer by seven lengths Aug. 2 at Del Mar. Patrick Valenzuela, who rode the filly for the first time that day, has the mount today.

Completing the field are Cat Fighter, who is also trained by Baffert, Great Dancer, Lady Wildcat and Love Emblem.

Race of the day: Captain Thunder, who put everything together in his third start, will try for a repeat in a $45,100, seven-furlong allowance at Churchill Downs. Pat Day will ride the 3-year-old colt.

One for the road: Gone Musical broke her maiden by 7 1/4 lengths in her debut at Aqueduct on Nov. 12, 2001, and she will return to the surface for the first time in today’s seventh. Idle since Aug. 14, she isn’t meeting a strong field of New York breds.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Urgent Start and Cease Span in the second, Yingyingying and Miss Coronado in the third and The Borg Queen in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/16. Money: Previous day/meet total: $16.60/$85. Total money bet: $100.