Alphabet Kisses Tries the Turf

Alphabet Kisses, a winner of her last two sprints, will try a longer distance and a different surface in the fifth race today at Hollywood Park.

Owned and bred by John Harris, the chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, and trained by Marty Jones, the 3-year-old Alphabet Soup filly will try to stretch her speed around 1 1/16 miles on the turf against seven other California breds in a $50,000 optional claimer.

A distant second in her debut on March 28 at Santa Anita, Alphabet Kisses broke her maiden by 6 1/2 lengths on April 24 at Hollywood Park, then won as the 8-5 favorite on May 16.

Apprentice jockey Mick Ruis, who has been aboard for all three of her races, has the mount again. They will break from the outside.

Other contenders in the first leg of the pick four are Old Chinese Copy, Five Nickels, The Dempsey Look, Church Editor and Broad Minded.

Race of the day: Whoopi Cat, who won both of her starts as a 2-year-old but who is 0 for 3 in 2004, will make her first appearance since March 20 for trainer Patrick Biancone in the eighth, a $47,000 allowance at six furlongs, at Belmont Park.

One for the road: Extra Holy, a half-sister to Holy Bull, will make her debut in the sixth at Belmont Park. She can win for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. against a soft field. Jorge Chavez will ride the gray daughter of Exploit in the 1 1/16-mile race for maiden fillies and mares.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Snowbound Native in the second, Beau, Johnny High Brite and More Ore in the third and Yogi’s, Scarlett Memories and Home Tour in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/79. Money: Previous day/meet total: $4.20/$434.20. Total money bet: $622.