Racing: Mirror does trick for lonely filly

By MIKE DILLON in Los Angeles

If Wayne Hillis wins the US$750,000 ($1.17 million) American Oaks in California at the weekend with his filly Boulevardofdreams, he reckons he will owe colleague Paul O'Sullivan a bottle of champagne.

O'Sullivan used Kiwi initiative with Horlicks to win the 1989 Japan Cup in world record time.

Horlicks was fretting because she was lonely in the Tokyo equine quarantine station before the race. To eliminate the possibility of that undermining Horlicks, O'Sullivan bought a mirror, sat it in her box and the champion mare thought she had company.

Hillis and Hollywood Park racing manager Martin Panza found a mirror when Boulevardofdreams developed the same tendencies in the quarantine barn in California.

Boulevardofdreams was fine for the first two days the visiting international horses spend in isolation because she had fellow New Zealander French Lady for company. But when she went to the quarantine compound at the Hollywood Park track, French Lady went to the barn of trainer Neil Drysdale, whose owners bought her from Mike Moroney.

"She wouldn't settle but I remembered what Paul did in Japan and so knew it was the answer," said Hillis.

If there is now a happier horse at Hollywood Park - and there are 1000 stabled there - it's not in sight.

The appearance of the Japanese filly Dance In The Mood, two stalls down, has made Boulevardofdreams even more relaxed. So relaxed, in fact, that Hillis has to carry a whip each morning to ensure the filly walks at a pace slightly in advance of a shuffle as she heads to the track to train.

Dance In The Mood is a quiet filly in her box, but becomes very stirred up when saddled and mounted.

Such horses have lead ponies in the United States, even in training. Yesterday morning Dance In The Mood refused to walk out of the quarantine station gate, which could have been a problem because quarantine protocol does not permit other horses within 100m of the international visitors.

Hillis, 75m ahead on Boulevardofdreams, trotted back and acted as lead pony to the Japanese filly.

Boulevardofdreams and Dance In The Mood were given the mandatory barrier examination in front of the official starter after working yesterday morning and both handled the task perfectly.

This morning Boulevardofdreams will be given her only serious piece of work in the United States.

"She doesn't need much, I'm very happy with her," said Hillis. "She's not the greatest eater at home, and I was worrying about that when we got here, but she's eating really well."

Hillis is keen to get a feel for the strength of the opposition.

That will become a little clearer when the barrier draw is done midday Wednesday, Californian time. The "morning line" betting odds for the race will be available shortly after the draw.

International invitation races tend to be won as much by the horse that travels best as the most talented, but on form alone, Dance In The Mood is going to probably start favourite.

Thanks to the massive Japanese stakemoney, she has won US$1.7 million from five starts. She won her first four straight and suffered her only defeat last start in the Japanese Oaks on May 23, finishing fourth.

One of the US fillies, the appropriately named Hollywood Story, has won only one race, but it was a group one at Hollywood Park in December.

The huge advantage for Boulevardofdreams is that the race is on the turf track, which takes, on average, two races per raceday.

Almost all of the topline United States fillies race on dirt and although it is not unheard of for a horse to successfully switch between the two, it is very rare.

The tightness of the track is slightly against Boulevardofdreams, who likes to wind up late. Because of where the winning post is sited it will almost certainly be necessary to be pressing forward before the home turn to win the Oaks.

New Zealand rider Gary Grylls is due to arrive in Los Angeles at 7am Wednesday Californian time.

Martin Panza is trying to arrange rides for Grylls in the grass track races at Hollywood Park on Thursday and Friday.

The race will be run Sunday morning New Zealand time and will be shown on ESPN on Sky digital.