Espinoza, Worldly team in Will Rogers
Jockey Victor Espinoza got the money at Hollywood Park on Kentucky Derby day two weeks ago, winning the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap with Molengao.
Espinoza hopes for some more stakes success today in Inglewood, hours after the Preakness. He will be aboard top contender Worldly in the $100,000 Will Rogers, a Grade III at one mile on turf.
Trained by Ben Cecil for owner Christopher Wright, Worldly, a 3-year-old gelded son of Selkirk, upset favored Silent Soul in winning his U.S. debut at the Rogers distance April 6 at Santa Anita.
The win was the second in four starts for the English-bred and looked even better when Silent Soul, also in today’s race, returned to win for the second time in as many starts on the Hollywood Park grass three weeks ago.
If Worldly is going to become a graded-stakes winner, he will have to defeat two other horses who won in their first starts in this country.
Laddies Poker, a gray son of Stravinsky, was a clear winner against maidens for Meadow Creek Farm LLC and trainer Vladimir Cerin on April 8. Yario, a Danehill Dancer colt, won by one length at about 6 1/2 furlongs April 11 for trainer Eoin Harty.
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Jockey Tyler Baze has taken a leave of absence from riding, hoping to clear up some health issues. It is unclear when Baze, who hasn’t ridden at Hollywood Park since May 4, will return, although he is expected back before the Hollywood Park spring-summer meet concludes July 16.
“He’s undergoing physical therapy and counseling until he gets 100% better,” said agent Ron Ebanks, who will take over booking mounts for Baze. “He underwent some blood tests and did not realize how bad his nutrition was.
“He was also struggling with depression because he was getting so few mounts, something he was not used to. He’s getting focused now and getting better emotionally and physically.”
Baze, 24, had a subpar meet at Santa Anita, winning with 20 of 284 mounts. Before Friday night’s card, his cousin, Michael Baze, was the leading rider at Hollywood Park with 25 victories, eight more than apprentice Joe Talamo.
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Gates at Hollywood Park will open at 8:30 a.m. today for the simulcasts from Pimlico. The Preakness will be shown between the fourth and the fifth live races at the track.
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