Shoemaker Mile Stakes 2013 at Hollywood Park
Las Vegas, NV - Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California will play host to the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile Stakes this Saturday, June 29. Horses three years old and upward will be after the winner's portion of the $300,000 purse when they go one mile on Hollywood Park's turf track.
The Shoemaker Mile has attracted a strong field of five older foes for race 3 on Hollywood Park's Saturday card. Post time is 2:01 PM. Let's take a brief glance into the past performances of all five combatants for this important Grade 1 stakes. The Shoemaker Mile acts as a "win and you're in" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup in November.
2013 Shoemaker Mile Stakes Race Favorites
Jeranimo - Jeranimo returned to prominence last June with a win in this very race after a decent second in the race before - the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate. He was third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile August 26 - the third straight race in which he placed. After that was a slight rough patch - a sixth in the Breeders' Cup Mile and a fourth in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park November 23. His first start of 2013 resulted in a nice bounce back for Jeranimo - a win in the Grade 2 San Gabriele Stakes at Santa Anita January 13 but he finished last of seven last time out in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 4. Jeranimo looks to become the first repeat winner of this race since 2000 and will need a strong bounce back in order to achieve that goal. He starts from the rail Saturday.
Obviously - had nine starts in 2012 with four wins, three seconds and two third place finishes with three straight wins last summer and fall including the Grade 2 Arroyo Seco Mile October 6 and the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile before that. He ended her 2012 campaign with a decent third behind Wise Dan and Animal Kingdom in the Breeders' Cup Mile in November and then took 4 1/2 months off. He returned April 20 to a good second as 11-10 favorite in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes ahead of Drill at Santa Anita and followed that with a win in his only other start of 2013 so far - the Grade 2 American Handicap at Hollywood Park May 25. He has won seven of 14 starts but a victory Saturday will represent his biggest to date.
Shoemaker Mile Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Lucayan - French bred colt and Group 1 winner in her native land made his North American debut with a very nice second in the Grade 2 American Handicap May 25 right behind Obviously after eight starts in France produced three wins and two second place finishes including a win at 27-1 odds in the French 2000 Guineas May 13, 2012 at Longchamp. He has failed to place in his last three at home before shipping to North America - a ninth, a fifth and an eighth respectively before his move but his result last time out has Lucayan on the radar for sure.
Shoemaker Mile Stakes betting at Hollywood Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Za Approval - raced in stakes company for the first time in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes February 23 and finished fourth but followed that with a very nice win in the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at Gulfstream March 30 and another Grade 3 score - the Red Bank Stakes last time out at Monmouth May 18. He has won three of his last four starts all this year for trainer Christophe Clement and enters the Shoemaker Mile in terrific form.
Wilkinson - in 2012 ran sixth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April and followed that with a very nice win in the Grade 2 American Handicap at Hollywood Park on May 29. After seven months away, he returned to a fifth in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes in December and was a very good second in the Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes February 2. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Hollywood Park May 2 after a fifth in the minor Thunder Road Stakes and a disappointing seventh in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile in March. He has six wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 23 career starts but has been up and down the last two years.
