Spurrier Wins at Hollywood Park

Spurrier collared stablemate Never in the final strides, completing a Bob Baffert exacta in a $54,908 optional claimer Thursday at Hollywood Park.

This was the second time in the last three racing days that the Hall of Fame trainer had a 1-2 finish. On July 10, E Z’s Gentleman and Sangaree captured the top spots in the $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap.

Owned by Arnold Zetcher, who also campaigns E Z’s Gentleman, Spurrier won for the fifth time in 23 starts, prevailing by a head in 1:42.99 for the 1 1/16 miles over Cushion Track. The gray has earned $252,447.

A 5-year-old son of Dixieland Band and the Valiant Nature mare Humble, Spurrier was the second of four wins on the afternoon for leading rider Joel Rosario.

The 2-1 second choice in the field of five, Spurrier paid $6.40, $2.80 and $2.10.

Never, who had won two of his previous three starts for Fog City Stable, returned $4.20 and $2.20. The show price on One Track Mind, the 13-10 choice, was $2.10. He finished 2 ¼ lengths behind Never.

Pestered while setting the pace by the newly blinkered Blue Chagall, One Track Mind dispatched of that rival to open a two length lead with a furlong to run, but was overhauled by Never with less than a sixteenth to go.

Rallying outside Never, Spurrier was able to earn his third win in five tries at Hollywood Park. All of his victories have come at a mile and a sixteenth.

Blue Chagall wound up fourth, 3 ¾ lengths behind One Track Mind and Delightful Kiss completed the order of finish.