Trainer Neil Drysdale to debut horse at Hollywood Park

Neil Drysdale spent four years working for Hall of Fame trainer Charles Whittingham, who was known for producing lots of outstanding turf horses.

Now Drysdale is on a hot streak with marathon grass runners, and he unveils his latest promising import in Saturday’s Grade II $150,000 Jim Murray Memorial Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the turf at Hollywood Park. There’s an early 11 a.m. first post, and the Jim Murray will be run as the eighth race on an 11-race card.

Scintillo, a 5-year-old English-bred son of Fantastic Light, makes his American debut under jockey Rafael Bejarano in a race named after the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

“He has trained consistently, so I would think he would run well,” Drysdale said.

The Drysdale-trained Bourbon Bay swept the three marathon turf stakes at Santa Anita and is being given time off. Scintillo arrived in the Drysdale barn last December and was freshened after finishing 11th in the Japan Cup. The horse struggled in his last four starts but won the Group II Grand Prix de Chantilly in France last year.

As for what he learned from Whittingham and marathon races, Drysdale said, “Patience. He was the master. You have to have the right horse. They have to be able to relax and have a nice rhythm.”

Trainer Mike Mitchell has had success in the Jim Murray, winning with On the Acorn in 2007 and 2008 before the race was discontinued last year. He’ll have Skellytown, a 7-year-old gelding who was claimed for $25,000 on April 1 at Santa Anita and finished third in the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Handicap on April 18.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com