Eight Cal-Breds in On Trust Handicap

California breds are in the spotlight in the feature on Sunday at Hollywood Park, with the running of the $100,000 On Trust Handicap for three-year-olds and up racing 7 1/2 furlongs on the all weather track. Eight have been entered for the race with a strong favorite at 2-1 in the morning line in the form of Cyclometer, a Bruce Headley trained five-year-old who will be ridden by Mike Smith.  Running primarily in allowance company, Cyclometer has had something of an erratic campaign, with one win and two second place finishes in six starts for 2013.

Former Kentucky Derby contender in the field

Stalking the pace throughout, he did manage to pull away for a 2 1/2 length score last time out in a $52,000 allowance event, after finishing second prior to that at the same level. Back in June he tried his first and only graded-stakes race, finishing sixth in the Grade I Triple Bend Handicap. Second choice in the ML at 5-2 is Rousing Sermon, who 18 months ago was racing at a much higher level, and getting some results, including a third in the Grade II Louisiana Derby before running eighth in the Kentucky Derby. He’s coming off a win in the Big Bear Stakes.

Spirit Rules looking for results in higher class

While it’s difficult to make a strong case for most of the rest in the field, bettors looking to fill out their exotic tickets might want to consider Spirit Rules, who will be making his stakes debut and is listed at 8-1. He’s won two of his last three coming from off the pace on the Hollywood track, and although he sandwiched a seventh place finish between those, that was on the turf, and marks his only finish out of the money in seven lifetime starts.  He’s a versatile runner who broke his maiden a year ago with a front-running score.