Perfect Moon Tries the Turf

No 3-year-old in today’s $60,000 Bien Bien Stakes at Hollywood Park has earned more money than Perfect Moon. A gelded son of Malibu Moon owned by Royce Jaime and trained by Doug O’Neill, Perfect Moon has banked $436,939 while winning four of 15 races.

The Maryland-bred has not earned a dime on the grass, however, and that is the surface he will be trying for the first time in the one-mile Bien Bien.

Perfect Moon, who will be ridden by Victor Espinoza, looks like the controlling speed in the field of five -- one of three five-horse fields on the card -- and could be dangerous if he handles the grass.

O’Neill will also start Whilly, a four-time winner on turf who ran eighth in last month’s Oak Tree Derby. The Irish-bred will leave from the inside post.

Completing the cast are Wild Babe, whose biggest victory was an 8-1 upset in a division of Del Mar’s Oceanside Stakes on July 21; Top Of The Bill, a French import who won one of six overseas, and We All Love Aleyna, a former claimer who has won seven of 22.

Race of the day: Hendrix, who finished third behind Greek Sun and Laura’s Lucky Boy in the Oak Tree Derby on Oct. 17 at Santa Anita, is among eight 3-year-olds scheduled to go 1 1/8 miles on the turf in today’s $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby. On The Acorn, Big Squeeze, Kingdom Come, Rules Of War, New Course, Talaris and Congressionalhonor complete the field in the Grade III.

One for the road: Alocadito has been improving and could be set for his first victory in the U.S. in today’s seventh at Aqueduct. Jerry Bailey will ride the 5-year-old Mutakddim horse for West Point Stable in the $48,000 allowance at one mile.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Crocker Road in the sixth, Inesperado and Royal Price in the seventh, Olympic Light, Highly Tempting, Show Me The Moolah and Standing Tall in the eighth, and Orbits World, Twice As Fabulous and Indian Dreamin in the ninth.

Winners (through Thursday): Previous day/meet total: 1/6. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.40/$36.60. Total money bet: $32.