Final SLRD horse to run Hollywood Park stakes race - Sprouts third in Soviet Problem Stakes

The final two stakes races at the Hollywood Park racetrack which will soon be torn down for development were the Dec. 21 Soviet Problem Stakes and the Dec. 22 King Glorious Stakes. Sprouts, who finished third in the Soviet Problem Stakes, thus became the final former – and future – San Luis Rey Downs Thoroughbred Training Center horse to run in a stakes race at Hollywood Park.

“She ran really well,” said trainer Ed Freeman. “Maybe a little bit tired at the end.”

Sprouts was one of seven horses in the seven-furlong Soviet Problem Stakes race for two-year-old fillies.She broke first and was second, half a length behind Rovenna, after a quarter of a mile. She trailed Rovenna by 1 1/2 lengths half a mile into the race, although Sprouts was still in second.

Sprouts entered the stretch in second half a length behind Rovenna, but Swiss Lake Yodeler passed both horses in the stretch and finished a length in front of Rovenna and 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Sprouts. Sprouts crossed the finish line 2 3/4 lengths ahead of fourth-place Meinertzhageni.

“She hadn’t run since Del Mar, so that was an encouraging run back,” Freeman said.

Sprouts, whose sire is Square Eddie and whose dam is Ann Summers Gold, made her racing debut April 26 at Hollywood Park and finished fifth. She then won a maiden race May 16 at Hollywood Park and followed that victory with wins June 15 in Hollywood Park’s Cinderella Stakes and July 19 in Del Mar’s California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stakes. She finished eighth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante stakes race Aug. 31, which was her last race prior to the Soviet Problem Stakes.

The Soviet Problem Stakes was Hollywood Park’s 10th race Dec. 21. Freeman also had a horse in the 11th race; More Complexity finished second in the six-furlong turf race for two-year-old fillies. More Complexity entered the stretch in second place a head behind Capers N Wine but finished two lengths behind winner Anniversary Kitty and half a length behind Capers N Wine.

“It’s kind of sad to see that that’s the end of Hollywood,” Freeman said of the racetrack’s closing.

More Complexity, whose dam is Marquis Diamond, was also sired by Square Eddie. “He’s had a very good year,” Freeman said of Square Eddie’s offspring earnings. “Most of the horses that are in training are by him, so things are looking up.”

Freeman has been training his non-racing horses at Galway Downs in Temecula while San Luis Rey Downs has been closed for renovation, although Sprouts remained at Hollywood Park after her final race there since the trainers can use the stalls through Jan. 31. “She’s still at Hollywood now. I’m just waiting for San Luis Rey to open,” Freeman said. “No more commuting to Hollywood Park. I’m commuting from Oceanside to Los Angeles every day or six days a week.”

Freeman has been given 30 stalls at San Luis Rey. “It will be a fantastic day,” he said of the Bonsall facility’s re-opening.

“There’s a lot of change coming our way,” Freeman said. “It’s going to be different, that’s for sure.”

Freeman plans to race Sprouts in the California Cup Oaks stakes race Jan. 25 at Santa Anita. That one-mile race for three-year-old fillies will be Sprouts’ first turf competition.