Spotlight on Pimlico

Before Silver Charm tries to follow up his Kentucky Derby win with a victory in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown, Hollywood Park will simulcast five other stakes from Pimlico.

Gates and mutuel windows will open at 9:30 this morning and the first of the stakes from Baltimore, the $200,000 Pimlico Distaff, has a scheduled post time of 10:27 a.m.

The Distaff will be followed by the $125,000 Maryland Breeders’ Cup Handicap, the $125,000 William D. Schaefer, the $200,000 Dixie Handicap, the $75,000 Sir Barton Stakes, then the Preakness at 2:31 p.m.

Hollywood Park’s first live race is set for 1:05 p.m. and a field of 10 is scheduled for the day’s feature, the $100,000-added Valkyr Handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Making her first start in more than a year, Magic Fantasy is the lukewarm 7-2 favorite in the Valkyr, which is restricted to California-breds. Owned by Marty and Pam Wygod and trained by Ron Ellis, the 5-year-old Pirate’s Bounty mare worked in 59 4/5 over the Hollywood Park turf course and will be seeking her fifth win in nine lifetime outings.

Granja Realeza, the lone 3-year-old in the race, is the 4-1 second choice and is probably the filly to catch. She won her turf debut at Santa Anita by 6 1/2 lengths, then was third as the 5-2 favorite behind Lavender and Wealthy in her stakes debut in the La Habra less than three weeks later.

Completing the field are Flying In The Lane, who was fifth as the 5-2 favorite in this race last year, Karakorum, Distinguish Forum, Sheza Valentine, Fickle Flirt, Iza Bon Bon, Avenue Shopper and Ivory Mint.

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Toga Toga Toga, California’s leading sprinter among older fillies and mares, was retired earlier this week after injuring a tendon in her left foreleg.

Owned by Stanley Bell and trained by Eduardo Inda, the 5-year-old Saratoga Six mare finished her career with seven victories in 18 starts and earnings of about $374,000. She finished her career with six consecutive victories in races around one turn and, in what proved to be her final start, won the seven-furlong A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park last month.

Plans call for Toga Toga Toga to recuperate at Bell’s ranch in Northern California, then go to Kentucky later this year where she will eventually be bred.

Horse Racing Notes

Two other races will be simulcast at Hollywood Park today, the $50,000 Mesquite Mile from Lone Star Park near Houston, and the $75,000 Precisionist from Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa. . . . Siphon, who could race next in the Californian on June 1, worked seven furlongs in 1:29 Friday morning for trainer Richard Mandella.