Random Blurbs From June 17, 2001
Smith rides 4,000th winner
Mike Smith became the 40th jockey to win 4,000 races when Lift Off won Sunday's ninth race.
Smith, who relocated from the East Coast to California last month, commemorated the milestone by having his face pushed into a frozen cake by his fellow jockeys.
Twice a winner of the Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding jockey, Smith rode two winners on Sunday, his best day since the move.
He also won the sixth race on Bella Drive and has five wins at the meeting.
"What's more important is I've been in five photos with little Tyler Baze and I finally beat him," Smith joked after Lift Off's win. "I was surprised the way the crowd cheered me on. It was kind of emotional. It makes me feel like things are starting to go my way."
Solis away on Hawaii vacation
Alex Solis, the leading rider at Hollywood Park through Sunday, is taking a walk on the beach this week.
Along with his wife and four children, who range in ages from 8 to 16, Solis left on Monday for a one-week vacation in Hawaii. He plans to return on June 27 and ride the final three weeks of the Hollywood Park meeting, which ends on July 16.
When he returns, the jockey standings may look different. Through Sunday, Solis had 47 winners, five more than Tyler Baze and eight more than Laffit Pincay Jr.
Solis is aware that Baze could catch him while he's gone, but said the family has been planning the vacation since the beginning of the year.
"My kids are getting older and I want to spend more time with them," he said. "When I come back, I think I will be refreshed and enjoy it more."
Expected Program remained unbeaten in three starts following a one-length win in the $78,400 Haggin Stakes.
Ridden by Tyler Baze, Expected Program ($2.60) led by two lengths in early stretch, and was roused in the final sixteenth to hold off Tracemark, who was a threat in mid-stretch. Square Cut Diamond finished third.
Expected Program, who won the Proctor Stakes on May 26, ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.44.
Owned by Carolyn Chapman and Theresa McArthur and trained by Jim Chapman, Expected Program is expected to reappear in the Grade 2 Hollywood Juvenile Championship on July 15.
Previously for Expected Program--Expected Program remained unbeaten after two starts with a hard-fought win over Fonz's in the $78,750 Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Ridden by Tyler Baze for trainer James Chapman, Expected Program ($7.60) ran five furlongs in :56.81 seconds, finishing a neck in front of Fonz's, the 8-5 favorite. Square Cut Diamond was third in the field of seven.
Expected Program was wide on the turn, but cornered well. In his debut in a maiden race on April 29, Expected Program blew the turn, but still rallied to win by 3 1-4 lengths.
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