Proposed Now 4 for 4 at Hollywood Park

Proposed remained unbeaten at Hollywood Park on Saturday, but her narrow victory in the $168,000 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap was hardly a thing of beauty.

In a Grade II stakes race in which the five competitors were separated by less than three lengths at the finish, Proposed, the 3-2 second choice, held on to beat 11-10 favorite Star Parade by a head for her fourth win in as many tries in Inglewood.

This was the seventh victory in 12 starts for the 4-year-old Benchmark filly, who is owned by breeders Pam and Marty Wygod and trainer John Shirreffs. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Proposed ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.92. The time was the slowest in the Milady since By Land By Sea won in 1:43 3/5 in 1988.

Sent to the front immediately, Proposed was hounded and passed by Somethinaboutlaura, the 9-1 fourth choice, but then battled back on the inside to win for the fourth time in seven races at the distance.

“It was great,” said Valenzuela. “She ran hard. She responded great when I really got after her.

“I didn’t want to get after her and I’ve never really had to before, but I had to and it made the difference. She really tried hard.”

Star Parade, who had won the 2004 Milady, never looked comfortable after being outrun early and finished second more on class than anything else.

“I just wanted her outside horses and she didn’t get there,” said trainer Darrell Vienna.

Somethinaboutlaura finished third, three-quarters of a length in front of Freakin Streakin, the longest shot in the small field at nearly 28-1, then came Memorette, who was last throughout.

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Shirreffs also won the day’s other stakes race, the $67,475 Great Lady M., with a horse who also stayed perfect at Hollywood Park.

Costume Designer, a 5-1 shot, won for the fourth time on the local turf, outfinishing pacesetter Starkay to win by a nose under jockey David Flores. Owned by George Krikorian, Costume Designer, a 5-year-old Capote mare, ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01.77. Polyfirst, the 2-1 favorite, finished fifth.

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The record winning pick six ticket on Friday night at Hollywood Park was purchased at an inter-track site in Nevada. No other details were available.

The ticket was worth $1,540,401.60 -- before taxes -- and consolations were worth $3,915.80. The previous record payoff at Hollywood Park was $1,312,808 on May 19, 2004.

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Lost In The Fog, the 1-2 favorite, ended a two-race losing streak with a 1 1/4 -length victory over 7-2 second choice and defending champion Kelly’s Landing in the $131,450 Aristides Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs.

The win was the 11th in 13 starts for the champion sprinter of 2005, who is owned by Harry Aleo and trained by Greg Gilchrist. Ridden by Russell Baze in the Grade III race, Lost In The Fog, who now has wins at nine tracks, ran the six furlongs in 1:08.52.

In the other stakes races on the card, Rush Bay gave jockey Rafael Bejarano his fifth winner of the day when he held off favored Purim to take the $100,000 Opening Verse, favored Joint Effort won the $150,000 Dogwood Breeders’ Cup and 14-1 outsider Yucatan rallied to win the $70,000 Texas Glitter.

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In a race switched from turf to dirt because of rain and reduced to a field of four, heavily favored Wait a While rolled to an easy victory in the $100,000 Sands Point at Belmont Park. Garrett Gomez rode the 3-year-old Maria’s Mon filly for Arindel Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher.