The Californian Stakes

Hollywood Park is putting up a $300,000 guaranteed Pick 4 on their last four races on Saturday afternoon and the keynote race of the sequence is the Grade 2 $250,000 Californian Stakes. There are some famous names in this race, but I will go with the slightly unheralded Boboman as my winner. He adds blinkers today and posted a recent bullet workout over the Hollywood surface on May 30. Alex Solis gets the ride for trainer Richard Mandella. A.P. Xcellent is my second choice. The A.P. Indy offspring scored a win at Hollywood on April 28 and, in fact, all three of his wins have come at Hollywood Park. I may be going off the beaten path with my third choice, but I will consider Saint Stephen in this spot. Trainer Christophe Clement is more adept with turf runners, but this horse deserves a look with some decent speed figures on the record. I will finally put in a famous name in this field with Buzzards Bay in fourth. He won the 2005 Santa Anita Derby and the 2006 Oaklawn Handicap, so he has some healthy experience. He ran 3rd at Hollywood in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy last time out.

Californian Stakes Selections- Boboman, A.P. Xcellent, Saint Stephen, Buzzards Bay