Here’s the Dirt on Bien Bien

The $70,000 Bien Bien remains on Hollywood Park’s stakes schedule, but the ungraded contest will be run on the dirt instead of the turf because of the cancellation of grass racing for the fall meet.

With the switch to dirt, it seemed unlikely the Bien Bien would attract Becrux, an Italian-bred who has won five of eight on the lawn, including a victory in the first division of the Oceanside Stakes this summer at Del Mar.

Owned by a partnership that includes Team Valor and Gary Barber and trained by Neil Drysdale, Becrux does have main track experience and an impressive win on the dirt.

In an allowance race at Nad al Sheba in Dubai on Feb. 25, the son of Glen Jordan beat 15 rivals by 6 3/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles, which is the distance of the Bien Bien.

Patrick Valenzuela, who rode Becrux for the first time when he was fifth in the Del Mar Derby, has a return call and they will leave from the rail.

His opponents are Chips Are Down, who has a win and a second in two tries on the Hollywood Park main track, Take A Chance and Yes He’s A Pistol.

Race of the day: Dazzling Dr. Cevin, who won the Calder Derby on Oct. 15, will try for his seventh victory over the Miami track when he takes on nine others in the $200,000 Carl Rose Classic Handicap. The 1 1/8 -mile race is part of an all-stakes pick four at Calder.

The other races in the sequence are the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap, the $150,000 Jack Dudley Sprint Handicap and the $150,000 Bonnie Heath Turf Cup Handicap.

One for the road: Shining Nuggets is a hard-knocking veteran who should get some pace to chase in the fourth at Golden Gate Fields.

Victor Navarro will ride the gelding for owner Ricardo Mendez and trainer Silverio Martinez in the $4,000 claimer at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A late pick four using Fly To The Wire, Power Tripper, Cinema Star and Mythical Flyer in the sixth, Twisting Road in the seventh, Etch, Donna’s Doll and Tiz Royalty in the eighth and Derwin’s Hope, Gone Quiet and Classy Lover in the ninth.

Winners (through Thursday): (previous day/meet total): 3/9. Money: (previous day/meet total): $14.60/$43. Total money bet: $32.