This Hollywood Story Could Feature ‘Kisses

Hollywood Story has three wins in four starts at Hollywood Park, including a victory in the Hawthorne Handicap on May 7. And the 4-year-old Wild Rush filly almost certainly will be favored to win there today when she takes on seven in the $200,000 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

But one of her opponents has an even better record over the course.

Alphabet Kisses, a gray daughter of Alphabet Soup owned by breeder John Harris and trained by Marty Jones, is five for five locally, with four wins over the main track.

A winner against Cal-breds in the B. Thoughtful on April 24, Alphabet Kisses will be stretching out in the Milady, a Grade II at 1 1/16 miles. Gary Stevens, who has been aboard for two of her last three wins, will ride.

The others in the Milady field are defending champion Star Parade, Santa Candida, Hawthorne runner-up Siphon Honey, House Of Fortune, Festival and Andujar.

Race of the day: Splendid Blended, who has not run since winning the Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 19, will make her 3-year-old debut for owner Peter Vegso and trainer Neil Drysdale in the $250,000 Acorn at Belmont Park. Jerry Bailey will ride the daughter of Unbridled’s Song in the Grade I at one mile. Her opponents -- Round Pond, Seek A Star, In The Gold, Seeking The Ante and Smuggler -- are a combined 15 for 31. Splendid Blended won three of four in 2004, with her only loss coming when she was second to eventual 2-year-old filly champion Sweet Catomine in the Oak Leaf last fall at Santa Anita.

One for the road: Grey Traffic has run well fresh and should come back firing for owner John Amerman and trainer Bobby Frankel in the seventh at Belmont. Bailey will ride the 4-year-old Numerous filly in the $47,000 allowance at seven furlongs.

Exotically speaking: An early pick four using Last Conquest in the first, River’s Prayer, Chulla Isabella and My Lucky Free in the second, Ibero Grace, Early Snow and Domingo Juan in the third and Bring Home Thegold, Max Power, Under The Sun and Gilded Bertrando in the fourth.

Winners (through Thursday): Previous day/meet total: 1/77. Money: Previous day/meet total: $4/$385.60. Total money bet: $518.