A Rising Field in Sunny Slope

Four of the six 2-year-olds entered in today’s $75,000 Sunny Slope at Santa Anita are coming off victories.

Funky Friends, The Thought Occurs, Within Reason and Hounddogman were all successful last time out, although The Thought Occurs needed some help to win for the first time.

A son of Souvenir Copy owned by J. Paul Reddam and trained by Doug O’Neill, The Thought Occurs picked up his maiden win in the Beau Brummel at Fairplex Park last month after the disqualification of favored Don Jaun Con. The Thought Occurs actually crossed the wire second.

Hounddogman, a son of Deerhound, will be making his first start since April 22 and the first for owners Hal and Patti Earnhardt and trainer Bob Baffert. Hounddogman was purchased privately after beating maidens by 13 lengths going 4 1/2 furlongs at Pimlico.

Funky Friends, a son of Louis Quatorze, defeated $85,000 maiden claimers by 8 1/2 lengths in his Santa Anita bow Sept. 30. Within Reason beat maidens by 1 1/2 lengths Oct. 9.

Race of the day: West Virginia, the upset winner of the Iselin Breeders’ Cup Handicap on Aug. 28 at Monmouth Park, will race New York-breds as he tries for his second win at Belmont Park in today’s $250,000 Empire Classic.

John Velazquez will ride the 4-year-old son of Tomorrows Cat for owner-breeders Don and Mary Zuckerman and trainer Todd Pletcher in the 1 1/8 -mile race.

One for the road: Radetzky gets a significant rider change to Gary Stevens and should relish the extra distance in today’s 10th at Keeneland.

The 3-year-old Dixie Union gelding, who finished second but was disqualified and placed fourth in his bow on Oct. 8, stretches to about seven furlongs for owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith and trainer Derek Galvin.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Super Flo, Shelley’s Rosario and Memorly in the first, Swadeshi and Distorted in the second and Notnerasgoodashers in the third.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 5/55. Money: (previous day/meet total): $34.40/$299.80. Total money bet: $326.