Horse racing newsletter: Great finish to Hollywood Gold Cup

COAST OF ROAN stalked the pacesetter from inside, shifted to the two path around the far turn, bid outside nearing the stretch, put in a head in front at the sixteenth pole then was floated out by MEMO DADDY and held over the runner-up. ASTRONAUT broke out and bumped rival at the start, tucked inside early, came out into the stretch, rallied and was gaining rapidly. MEMO DADDY (CHI) took control early from inside, responded when challenged into the lane, held a short lead to the mid-stretch then drifted out some and yielded grudgingly. SECRET CLUB came away slow, took the first turn three then two wide, angled to the inside on the backstretch, saved ground into the lane and closed well along the rail. LURE HIM IN was in range racing off the rail, took aim three wide outside the top pair leaving the second bend and lacked the needed late kick in deep stretch. IRISH HEATWAVE bumped at the start, raced between rivals then angled four to five wide into the lane, drifted inward in the stretch and failed to rally. AVIGALE (IRE) broke out and bumped rival, reserved in the early going, raced outside a rival then angled to the rail on the far turn and made no impact. BIG BUZZ got bumped leaving the gate, tracked three wide around the first turn, four to five wide into the stretch and lacked further response. CLAYTON DELANEY stalked the leader outside a rival, dropped back between rivals on the far turn and tired.

KAHUNA MAGIC stalked the front quartet into and around the turn, eased out into the stretch, drew alongside BRUTTO with a sixteenth remaining and overhauled that rival for the score. BRUTTO broke awkwardly, chased outside the top trio, went four wide through the turn, struck the front approaching the eighth pole, cleared briefly then was tested by KAHUNA MAGIC in the final sixteenth and could not hold on. TRAINER PLEASE broke in and bumped rival at the start, vied for the lead from inside to the lane, lost command in upper stretch and stayed on to secure the show. DERBY PROSPECT vied for command three deep and weakened in the final furlong. MONGOLIAN FORD vied between rivals into and around the turn then gave way in the stretch. DONCIC stumbled a bit and got bumped in the beginning, settled at the back off the inside, raced three wide into the turn, four wide into the drive, lacked further response, was eased in the stretch and walked off.

PERFECTIONISTIC unhurried in the beginning, came out into the stretch, rallied and got up in time. TOO LATE stalked the pace outside a rival, bid outside in upper stretch, led late and got nailed by the winner. POSTERIZE sped clear and angled to the inside, roused nearing the stretch, held a narrow lead with a furlong to go but got outkicked in the late stages. SINGLE ME OUT raced off the pace early on, went two wide into the turn, exited three wide, went between rivals at the eighth pole and finished well. HIT THE SEAM raced off the rail while in range, took the turn four wide wide, chased through the drive but needed to find more in deep stretch. EUSTACE tracked the pace from inside, cut the corner into the stretch and lacked the needed late punch. DESERT SWARM closest in pursuit up the backstretch, went two wide around the turn and weakened. AGAMEMNON settled on the inside, remained near the rail in the stretch, was injured inside the sixteenth pole and vanned off.

COLOSI was forwardly placed off the inside, chased the leader two wide into the lane, drew alongside and gained command mid-stretch and drove clear. CONTAGION raced along the inside then angled out around the clubhouse turn, came three wide into the drive, rallied and got up for second. STUDLY PERFECTION sped to the front and was a bit rank on the first turn, set all the pace to the stretch, lost command mid-stretch and lost the place. RINSE AND REPEAT stalked the leader from inside, dropped to mid-pack on the backstretch, entered the lane two wide and could not rally. SWAMP SOUFFLE went two then three wide around the first turn, tracked outside a rival, entered the lane two wide and was never a factor. TIZONA stumbled leaving the gate, traveled two wide around the first turn, stayed in the two path into the second bend, drifted four wide into the stretch and came up empty.

THRILLING set the pace up the backstretch under pressure, dueled around the turn, shook free in upper stretch, inched away then held late. QUEEN OFTHE TEMPLE chased off the inside then between runners, angled four wide leaving the turn, got floated out in the lane, rallied late and edged RED DIAMOND for second. RED DIAMOND got bumped at the start, settled in mid-pack, drifted out upper stretch, rallied and was outkicked for the place. BUY AMERICAN reserved in the early going, angled out upper stretch and finished willingly. BURGOO ALLEY (IRE) hesitated and broke slow, chased along the inside then two wide into the stretch and finished willingly along the rail. WHAT A FEELING stalked in the two path to the stretch, tipped out in the lane and lacked a serious bid. CIELO D'ORO was in range early, went four wide into the turn, exited five wide, came out in upper stretch and kept on through the final furlong. KALON pressed the pace from outside, dueled for command around the turn, lost contact with the winner in upper stretch and flattened in the late stages. SPEEDCUBER broke in and bumped rival, sat off the pace outside rivals, went three deep into the turn, three wide into the stretch and failed to threaten. THE PHARAOH'S GIRL angled in on the turn and was never a factor. SOCIALLY SMART got bumped on both sides at the start, raced in range outside a rival, dropped back on the turn and tired. PEACEFIELD jumped the track crossing surfaces early, dropped to the back and trailed into the turn, went two wide into the lane and never threatened.

GROUND ATTACK pressed the pace from inside then dueled into the turn, held a short lead through the bend and into the stretch, cleared with a furlong to go and fended off the runner-up. SURFING STAR chased the top pair outside a rival, went three then four wide around the turn, closed from outside but was not enough to get by the winner. SPEED PASS set the pace under pressure from inside, dueled leaving the backstretch and around the turn, fought to upper stretch but could not match strides with the top pair in the final furlong but stayed on to hold third. THANKS MR. EIDSON hopped slightly at the start and came away a bit slow, was reserved behind the field up the backstretch, angled to the rail on the turn and could not rally. DESSMAN was off slow to begin, went up outside the top pair then chased two wide into the turn, came three wide into the lane and flattened out.

SMOOTH LIKE STRAIT vied for the lead from inside, held a short lead to the far turn, cleared at the five-sixteenths, drew away in upper stretch and held safely under right-handed urging. SAY THE WORD raced off the pace in the two path or outside a rival, exited the far turn three wide, raced four wide upper stretch, finished well and closed the gap on the winner late. RESTRAINEDVENGENCE pressed from between, could not keep pace around the far turn, chased from inside into the stretch and held the show. NEXT SHARES settled on the inside, moved into the two path leaving the far turn then three wide in upper stretch and finished evenly. WHISPER NOT (GB) vied for the lead three deep, chased the winner two wide past the five-sixteenths and weakened. CROSSFIREHURRICANE was off slow to begin, tucked inside early, entered the stretch two wide and never made an impact.

COUNTRY GRAMMER brushed from outside early, stalked three wide early, applied pressure near the half-mile marker, headed rival leaving the backstretch and took over at the three-eighths, put away inside rival then dueled with ROYAL SHIP, lost command at the top of the stretch, fought back through the lane and dug in late edge the runner-up. ROYAL SHIP (BRZ) tracked three deep and between foes into the first turn, moved closer up the backstretch, bid three deep on the far turn and dueled into the stretch, gained command at the top of the lane, continued to battle with COUNTRY GRAMMER through the final furlong and got outkicked in the closing moments. EXPRESS TRAIN broke out, raced four deep then came five wide into the lane and outkicked RUSHIE for the show honors. RUSHIE stumbled at the start, angled to the inside, steered four wide into the stretch and got outfinished for the show. HEYWOODS BEACH got bumped into rival early, chased from between, was put in tight by inside and rival and steadied at the five-sixteenths, came four wide into the stretch and could not rally. TWO THIRTY FIVE came in and bumped rival early, raced four wide around the first turn, traveled four wide into the second bend then entered the lane six wide and had little left. BROWN STORM (CHI) got bumped between rivals early, vied for the lead then cleared first time through the stretch, angled in and set the pace along the rail, lost command at the three-eighths pole, lost ground through the far turn and faded in the drive.

MAXIM RATE raced outside a rival while in range, took aim three wide leaving the far turn, bid three deep in upper stretch and proved best late. LA SIGNARE (FR) tracked from inside early on, moved out into the stretch, angled out further in the lane, closed well and was gaining to the wire. BODHICITTA (GB) settled off the pace and angled to the inside, exited the far turn three wide, angled out further with a furlong to go and summoned a mild late bid. KEEPER OFTHE STARS was closest to the leader early, applied pressure leaving the backstretch, challenged around the far turn and into the stretch but faltered in deep stretch. GOING TO VEGAS stalked the pace from inside, tipped off the rail in the stretch and lacked further response. CHARMAINE'S MIA set pace from inside, maintained a short lead into and around the second bend, roused at the top of the stretch, lost the lead inside the furlong pole and yielded in the final sixteenth. RED LARK (IRE) lagged behind early and steered to the inside, went two wide into the far turn, three wide into the stretch and never threatened.