River’s Prayer Seeks a 3-0 Start in Landaluce

Before she won the Landaluce in 2004, Souvenir Gift, a daughter of Souvenir Copy, won the Cinderella Stakes for co-owner and trainer Sam Semkin.

River’s Prayer will try to complete the same parlay for co-owner and trainer Paula Capestro when she heads a field of nine 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Landaluce today at Hollywood Park.

Purchased for $15,000 in April, River’s Prayer, a gray, California-bred daughter of Devon Lane, has won both her starts with ease. She broke her maiden by five lengths in her debut May 18 in Inglewood, then returned less than three weeks later to take the Cinderella by 3 1/2 lengths.

Despite her success, River’s Prayer has undergone some changes since she last raced June 4.

She will go in blinkers for the first time and she will have a new jockey, with Alex Solis replacing Felipe Martinez.

The field for the six-furlong Landaluce includes three other unbeatens: Sarah’s Hart, Mystery Girl and Indian Breeze, who are each one for one after breaking their maidens earlier in the meet.

Race of the day: Magna Graduate, who has won three of 10, will make his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher against seven other 3-year-olds in the $350,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. Gary Stevens will ride the son of Honor Grades for owner Elisabeth Alexander in the Grade II at 1 1/8 miles. Other contenders include Unbridled Energy, Hal’s Image, Pinpoint, who finished last in the Belmont Stakes after winning three in a row, and Canadian shipper Palladio.

One for the road: Wend, the 4-year-old Pulpit filly who has won four of four since moving to the grass for trainer Bill Mott, can stay perfect as she moves into graded stakes company for the first time in the $250,000 New York Handicap today at Belmont Park. Jerry Bailey will ride Wend, who has won her four grass starts by a combined 19 1/4 lengths, for Claiborne Farm in the 1 1/4 -mile event, which is a Grade III. She will be on or near the lead in a race that came up short on speed.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Prime Time Event in the fifth, Smile N Wildcat, Aggressive and No Toro in the sixth and He’s The Rage, Fancy Foxtrot and My Dream in the seventh.

Winners (through Thursday): Previous day/meet total: 4/127. Money: Previous day/meet total: $21.40/$666.30. Total money bet: $876.