Splendid Blended Is in Mix as Favorite to Win Starlet

Splendid Blended, whose only loss in three starts came against Sweet Catomine in the Oak Leaf Stakes on Oct. 2, will be favored to earn her first graded stakes victory in today’s $380,000 Hollywood Starlet at Hollywood Park.

Owned by Peter Vegso and trained by Neil Drysdale, Splendid Blended broke her maiden by five lengths in her Sept. 6 debut at Del Mar and won an allowance race locally by 3 1/4 lengths Nov. 14. Sandwiched between those victories was a runner-up try to Sweet Catomine, who went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and will soon be crowned the 2-year-old filly champion of 2004.

With Sweet Catomine waiting until the start of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet to race again, Splendid Blended, who will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, will have six opponents in the 1 1/16 -mile Starlet.

One of her rivals is Sharp Lisa, who finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Owned by a partnership that includes J. Paul Reddam, the Dixieland Band filly will be ridden by Corey Nakatani as she looks for her second win in four tries.

Race of the day: Don Six will make his first start for trainer Scott Lake over a surface the 4-year-old Wild Escapade colt loves in today’s $100,000 Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct. Mike Luzzi will ride Don Six, who has two wins and two seconds in four starts over the course, in the Grade III at six furlongs. Other contenders in the field of eight include Mr. Whitestone, Papua and Black Silk.

One for the road: Siddartha didn’t care for the off track in his first start in New York on Nov. 13 and can make amends on a dry surface in today’s fourth at Aqueduct. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride the 2-year-old A.P. Jet colt in the $41,000 maiden race for New York breds at six furlongs. Qualified Opinion, who won the race this colt exits, came back to win two days ago.

Exotically speaking: An early pick four using Beautifulbutbored and Bay Minette in the first, Lord Macho, Orbits World and Absolute Glory in the second, Silent Kingdom in the third and Dancingintheaisles, Freestyle and So Long Birdie in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 6/98. Money: Previous day/meet total: $29.60/$552.20. Total money bet: $580.