Victory Hangs in Balance

Balance should be two for two entering her first main track start in the $100,000 Sharp Cat today at Hollywood Park.

The 2-year-old Thunder Gulch filly was robbed of a win in the Hidden Light on Nov. 2 when she was disqualified from first and placed third in what was a bad call by the stewards at Oak Tree.

Owned by John Amerman and trained by David Hofmans, Balance, who broke her maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in her Oct. 7 debut, will make her first appearance over the track where she trains in the Sharp Cat, a 1 1/16 -mile prep for next month’s Hollywood Starlet.

Cross, the filly who benefited most from the Hidden Light disqualification, will also be making her initial appearance on dirt. Thanks to the win she backed into earlier in the month, the Mighty Lord filly has won two of three.

Completing the field are Make Mine Minnie, My Little Monkey, I Can See, Evening Escort, Talullah Lula and Sweet Fourty.

Race of the day: Fleet Indian will look for her sixth win in 11 starts when she takes on five other New York-bred fillies in the $75,000 Montauk Handicap at Aqueduct. John Velazquez will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie in the 1 1/8 -mile contest. She will break from the rail over the track on which she broke her maiden by 8 1/2 lengths in her bow on April 9, 2004.

One for the road: Off The Scale goes turf to dirt and returns to a track on which he performed decently in his only other appearance in today’s eighth on the opening-day card at Turfway Park. Willie Martinez will ride the 3-year-old Richter Scale colt for Richland Hills Inc. and trainer Gregory Fox in the $25,000 allowance at one mile. Off The Scale was third in his last race at Turfway on Oct. 6.

Exotically speaking: A place pick all using Square Pants in the first, Fall In Love in the second, Sandra’s rose and Skipping Court in the third, Starlet Of Seattle in the fourth, Mambo Dancer and Spriggzee in the fifth, Political Web in the sixth, Dynawhite in the seventh, Balance, Cross and Make Mine Minnie in the eighth and Aureliano and Sonic Tiger in the ninth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 4/41. Money: (previous day/meet total): $17.20/$205. Total money bet: $218.