McAnally Seeks a Breakthrough

Only the late Charlie Whittingham has won more stakes races at Hollywood Park than Ron McAnally.

Whittingham, who was 86 when he died in 1999, finished his career with 222 stakes wins and McAnally, who has been a member of the sport’s Hall of Fame since 1990, is next on the list with 115.

One race that has escaped McAnally in Inglewood is the Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile, which used to be called the Premiere Handicap.

That could change this afternoon when McAnally sends out Sweet Return, the 2-1 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line, in the Grade I race on the turf.

Owned by Red Oak Stable, Sweet Return, a 4-year-old son of the British sire Elmaamul, hasn’t been worse than third in his last six, winning three along the way, including the Hollywood Derby here last fall.

His opponents in the Shoemaker, which was won a year ago by the now-retired Redattore, include Singletary, Tsigane, Glick, King Of Happiness, Momentum, Dell Place and Designed For Luck. Leroidesanimaux was scratched Sunday morning because of a foot problem.

Earlier on the card, Megahertz will try to give trainer Bobby Frankel his third win in the $350,000 Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap in the last four years against only three rivals -- 2003 American Oaks winner Dimitrova, Noches De Rosa and Quero Quero. The Gamely, also a Grade I, is run at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

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Winendynme, the 7-2 second choice, rallied to win the $79,950 Manhattan Beach Stakes by two lengths Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Jenine Sahadi for her father Fred, the 3-year-old Dynaformer filly won for the third time in nine starts. She was ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr. and completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:01.72. Very Vegas was second and Allswellthatnswell finished third.