Awesome Gambler is upset winner in the Alydar

Awesome Gambler has found a home on Hollywood Park’s Cushion track.

About a month removed from his first win in his initial start as a 3-year-old, the son of Coronado’s Quest got the money again Saturday, upsetting favored Cobalt Blue in the $80,800 Alydar Stakes.

Winless in two starts at Del Mar and Fairplex Park in 2006, Awesome Gambler, the 7-2 second choice, made an extended run from well off the pace under apprentice jockey Joe Talamo to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:50.25 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Walski, the $50,000 yearling purchase gave trainer Caesar Dominguez his first stakes win at Hollywood Park since The Cynic won the Precisionist Stakes in 1997.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time after a dismal performance in the Illinois Derby on April 7 that ended any Triple Crown aspirations, Cobalt Blue was a no-excuse runner-up at 7-10. Freesgood, the longest shot in the field of eight at 45-1, was third.

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Garrett Gomez will ride Hard Spun for the first time when the 3-year-old son of Danzig runs in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Gomez replaces Mario Pino, who was criticized for moving too soon into a fast pace in the Preakness eight days ago.

Hard Spun assumed a clear lead from tiring longshots Xchanger and Flying First Class, but was no match for Curlin and Street Sense in the stretch and wound up third after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby.

The presence of Gomez on Hard Spun, who had been ridden by Pino in eight of his nine previous races, would suggest that Rags To Riches, the country’s best 3-year-old filly, will not be a participant in the Belmont.

With the final jewel of the Triple Crown less than two weeks away, five -- Curlin, Hard Spun, Slew’s Tizzy, who will be ridden by John Velazquez, Tiago and Imawildandcrazyguy, who was fourth in the Derby -- are considered definite for the 1 1/2 -mile race.

A decision is expected within the next few days regarding the status of Street Sense and Great Hunter, who was considered definite, has been sidelined and will undergo surgery to remove a bone chip in his right front ankle.

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Showing Up, one of the top grass horses in the country, will be sidelined for an indefinite period of time because of a left front leg injury.

Owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables and trained by Barclay Tagg, the 4-year-old son of Strategic Mission won several graded races on the grass in 2006, including the Hollywood Derby and Secretariat at Arlington Park.

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Lava Man worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Friday at Hollywood Park and may return in the $300,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial on June 9, a race that is also expected to attract San Juan Capistrano and Jim Murray winner On The Acorn.

It is possible Lava Man, who finished last in the Dubai Duty Free in his most recent outing on March 31, may run in the Whittingham, which is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf, then try for a third consecutive win in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup three weeks later.

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Jockey Andrew Lakeman, 32, is in critical condition with spinal injuries after being involved in a spill in the fourth race on Friday at Belmont Park.

Lakeman, who hasn’t won a race from a limited number of opportunities, went down hard when his mount, Our Montana Dream, clipped heels and fell around the far turn in the maiden contest on turf.

Norberto Arroyo Jr., who was also involved in the mishap when his mount (Lady Alice) fell over Our Montana Dream, suffered a broken collarbone and will be sidelined for six weeks.

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