Sunday April 24, 2005

Gold Rush VI Draws a Crowd

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 21, 2005) – Sunday’s $1.31 million Gold Rush VI for California-breds at Hollywood Park drew 107 entries, including five graded winners and one millionaire.

A full field of 12 was named for the featured event, the $250,000 Cal National Bank Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds. The leading earner in the field will be Delta Jackpot winner Texcess, but the high weight is WinStar Derby winner Thor’s Echo.

A showdown of heavyweights will take place in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes, where Grade I winners Alphabet Kisses and Dream of Summer meet. Alphabet Kisses won the La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita, while Dream of Summer just captured the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Valentine Dancer is appropriately the expected favorite in the $150,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes. She is a repeat winner of the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf.

The $150,000 Tiznow Stakes, at the unusual distance of 7 ½ furlongs, has drawn multiple graded winner Yougottawanna and Grade III winner Areyoutalkintome.

With Memorette skipping the race for the Kentucky Oaks, the $200,000 Melair Stakes could find WinStar Oaks winner Cee’s Irish going off favored.

Millionaire Continental Red and last year’s Snow Chief Stakes winner Cheiron face off in the $150,000 TVG Khaled Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

In addition to the six black-type stakes on the program, there will be a pair of $60,000 maiden stakes and two $70,000 allowance stakes, also exclusively for Cal-breds.

Hollywood Park is offering a $1 million guaranteed Pick Six and a free Gold Rush polo shirt for paid admissions, while supplies last.