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American Oaks on Hollywood's Closing Weekend

Rob Gregorka

Las Vegas, NV -- An exciting weekend of races in horse wagering is set as Hollywood Park closes out their spring/summer meet. Saturday is highlighted by the Grade 1 $250,000 American Oaks Invitational while the $100,000 Sunset Handicap and $100,000 Juvenile Championship are set for Sunday.

American Oaks Invitational
It should be an extremely competitive race on Saturday in the American Oaks Invitational with all six horses in the field having a realistic chance to win the mile and a quarter race on the turf. Bizzy Caroline will be competing in her first Grade 1 race for trainer Kenneth McPeek. She has been very good of late with three straight wins including the Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs last month. "She had to win the Regret to justify coming out there," McPeek said.

The Oaks also includes Star Billing and Cambina who are previous stakes winners, Entrustment and Love Theway Youare who have second place finishes in previous stakes races and Nereid who will be running in her first stakes race.

Saturday is highlighted by the Grade 1 $250,000 American Oaks Invitational

Cambina could be the horse to watch in off-track betting as she is a closer who just needs an honest pace to win. "When they go [slow], it's tough to close on horses," trainer Jeff Bonde said. "She's trained excellent. We feel confident where we are with her."

The horse to catch in the race will be Star Billing who will go to the lead and try to win wire to wire. Trainer John Shirreffs won last year's American Oaks with Harmonious and he will try to win this year with Star Billing or Nereid.

A Gleam Handicap
A field of nine is expected for the A Gleam Handicap on Saturday with the winner of the race getting an automatic bid in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs in November. The favorite in off track betting will likely be Ultra Blend, who has won five of her last six starts. Bob Baffert, who is the leading trainer at Hollywood Park, has three horses in the race - American Story, Fund Raiser and Irish Gypsy.

Sunday's Stakes Races
Closing day at Hollywood Park on Sunday features a pair of stakes races. Acclamation is expected to be the horse betting favorite in the $100,000 Sunset Handicap while Majestic City could be the favorite in the $100,000 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes.

Live Racing Schedule

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