Field for Californian Looks Like a Million

Cigar is the best handicap horse in the nation, but three members of the field for the $250,000 Californian today at Hollywood Park have done something the 5-year-old Palace Music horse hasn’t yet.

Concern, Tinners Way and Best Pal have all won a race worth $1 million, and they will tangle in the Californian, which is the final prep for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 2.

Best Pal, who won the inaugural $1-million Pacific Classic in 1991, is the 2-1 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile race today, and for good reason. The 7-year-old has six victories and a second in seven tries on the Hollywood Park main track.

Making his California debut, Concern is the 5-2 second choice, and although he has been content to finish second or third the majority of his career, he made one of his five victories count when he rallied to score a 7-1 upset in the $3-million Breeders’ Cup Classic last November.

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Mr Purple, the 3-5 favorite, got a confident ride from Corey Nakatani and won the $108,200 Harry Henson Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths Saturday.

A race later, Unfinished Symph, the even-money choice, won the $165,900 Shoemaker Handicap by nearly two lengths over Rapan Boy.