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HOLLYWOOD PARK : Latin American Heads LeRoy Field

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

If all had gone well, Latin American would be among the starters in the Nassau County Handicap today at Belmont Park, the fifth event in the American Championship Racing Series.

An adverse reaction to medication cost the upset winner of the Californian, the third ACRS race, a chance to run in New York, so the son of Riverman will go instead in the $161,800 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

Sent off at nearly 18-1 in the Californian, trainer Robert Marshall’s 5-year-old won by five lengths over a field that included Nassau County starter Missionary Ridge and Santa Anita Handicap winner Sir Beaufort.

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A winner of stakes at three tracks this year, Latin American will pick up two pounds, to 118, after his Californian victory and will have a different rider, Eddie Delahoussaye taking over for Gary Stevens, who is sidelined because of a broken left thumb.

Sir Beaufort will carry the same 120 pounds he did in the Californian, in which he was fourth as the 6-5 favorite.

He has trained well in the interim for Charlie Whittingham and will be seeking his third victory in eight starts on the Hollywood Park main track. Pat Valenzuela will again ride.

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The other five entrants in the LeRoy, the final prep for the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 3, are Major Impact, who was third, beaten by a neck, in the Santa Anita Handicap; Marquetry, who has tailed off since beating Sir Beaufort in the San Antonio Handicap in February; Lottery Winner, Potrillon and Vying Victor, who will be making his first start since finishing 10th of 11 in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26.

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Likeable Style, who won her turf debut in the Senorita Breeders’ Cup on May 15, is the 8-5 morning-line favorite to repeat in the $110,200 Honeymoon Handicap at 1 1/16 miles today at Hollywood Park. With Kent Desormeaux in New York to ride Missionary Ridge in the Belmont Stakes, Delahoussaye will ride the 3-year-old Nijinsky II filly, who has won four of five for owners John and Betty Mabee and trainer Richard Mandella.

Icy Warning is the 5-2 second choice and will race on Lasix for the first time. Corey Black will ride.

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From the rail out, the rest of Honeymoon entrants: Amal Hayati, Vinista, On The Catwalk, Nortena, Mighty Icy, Adorydar and Passing Vice.

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The Nassau County Handicap will be simulcast between the first and second races today; the Belmont Stakes between the second and third races. . .Soviet Problem, who suffered her first defeat as the 4-5 favorite in the Railbird Stakes a week ago, has an inflammation in her left front tendon and will be sidelined indefinitely.

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