Avanzado Is Favorite

A multiple winner at Santa Anita and Del Mar, Avanzado will try for his first win at Hollywood Park in today’s $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Stakes. The special holiday post time is 11 a.m.

Owned by Cees Stable and trained by Doug O’Neill, the 6-year-old is the 8-5 favorite in the Underwood, a Grade III at six furlongs. He will leave from the inside post in the field of seven and be ridden by Tyler Baze.

The beaten favorite in the Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Handicap in his only other start at Hollywood Park on July 5, Avanzado will be seeking his second win in a row and his 11th in 27 starts. Most recently, he won the Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup Handicap, a Grade I, on Oct. 5 at Santa Anita.

The 3-1 second choice is Watchem Smokey, who lost for the first time in his seventh start when making his California debut on Oct. 3.

He split the field on the turf at Santa Anita and now moves back to the dirt in his second race for owner Ed Gann and trainer Bobby Frankel.

Julie Krone, who won the Underwood a year ago with longshot Debonair Joe, has the mount on the 3-year-old gelded son of Alphabet Soup.

Completing the Underwood are the John Sadler-trained entry of Our New Recruit and Hasty Kris, Omega Code, who has been the beaten favorite in his last three outings for trainer Wesley Ward, and Ride and Shine.

Race of the day: Peeping Tom, who has won 12 of 39 and earned $1,242,317, will carry topweight of 138 pounds in Aqueduct’s $100,000 Fall Highweight Handicap. A Grade III at six furlongs, the race also lured Bossanova, Papua, Sam Lord’s Castle, Vodka, Savoy Special and Speed Hunter.

One for the road: War Valor makes his first start for trainer Tom Amoss and seeks his third consecutive win in today’s eighth at the Fair Grounds, which kicks off its meet today. The Royal Academy colt will break from post eight in the $32,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Exotically speaking: A Hollywood Park pick three using Adalgisa in the third, Skippy’s Goldenboy and Major Look in the fourth and all in the fifth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/34. Money: Previous day/meet total: $13.60/$168.80. Total money bet: $184.