Wowie! Maui Mark Wins Friday Feature at Hollywood Park

Watch an absolutely scintillating win by Maui Mark for trainer Howard Zucker in Friday's feature race at Hollywood Park, an allowance race for 3 year olds and up at 6 furlongs on the turf. After catching pacesetter Slam Slew a furlong from the wire, Maui Mark draws away to win by 3 1/4 lengths.

The victory was the fourth of five wins on the card for jockey Joel Rosario. Rosario and Zucker teamed up again today to win the 9th at Hollywood Park, an allowance/optional claimer, with a nice filly I've been following, Well Monied.

For a closer look at Maui Mark, take a look at a video post of him getting an adjustment from horse chiropractor Dr. Nick Sopha at Santa Anita a few weeks ago.

Who Do You Like for The Kentucky Derby?

I couldn't resist taking a random poll at Santa Anita this morning. Now, if I follow the Richard Dreyfuss method (from the movie Let it Ride), and eliminate all the picks I gathered, it still leaves me with West Side Bernie, Musket Man, Advice, Mine that Bird, Join the Dance, Regal Ransom, Chocolate Candy, General Quarters, Atomic Rain, Dunkirk, Summer Bird, Nowhere to Hide, Desert Party and Flying Pirate!

Hopefully you have a saner method for picking your Derby winner... Happy handicapping and good luck to everyone betting the Derby!

A Derby Win by Chocolate Candy Would be Sweet for Jenny Craig

Chocolate Candy Schooling for the Santa Anita Derby.

Chocolate Candy represents the fourth Kentucky Derby entrant for California thoroughbred owner Jenny Craig. But this year's Derby will be bittersweet for Jenny, win or lose. She will be there for the first time without her husband, Sid, who died in July. And she will be hoping to fulfill the dream they shared for many years.

Sid and Jenny Craig, founders of the weight loss company named for her, shared a passion for Thoroughbred racing and a dream of winning the Kentucky Derby. Jenny even presented Sid with a Derby-ready colt for his 60th birthday in 1992. A $2.5 million purchase, Dr Devious finished 7th in that year's Run for the Roses. Dr Devious went one better, however, going on to win the original derby -- the Epsom Derby in England.

Chocolate Candy was bred by Sid and Jenny Craig and is a son of their 2003 Pacific Classic winner Candy Ride, whose progeny are already making a splash. In addition to Chocolate Candy, he is the sire of stakes winners Capt. Candyman Can and Evita Argentina.

Chocolate Candy, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, drew post position #11 and was assigned official morning line odds of 20-1.