Hollywood Import rakes in Spectacular Bid win
Frank Vespe
February 4, 2026
Hollywood Import, who trailed all of his rivals at the first call in each of his first three starts, earned his second consecutive front-running score in Wednesday’s $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.
It’s not a total form reversal – he won one of those first three outings and finished second in the James F. Lewis, III Stakes after rallying from the rear – but it sure is a change in tactics.
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“He’s just got talent, you know,” said winning trainer Gary Capuano. “This was a competitive race, but there wasn’t a ton of early speed.”
There wasn’t, and when Trendsetter and jockey Dylan Machado broke alertly but opted to settle, Hollywood Import found himself in the catbird seat.
With JG Torrealba replacing Mychel Sanchez, who rode the Honor A. P. colt to a win in the Heft Stakes last out, Hollywood Import seized that advantage, leading by 1 1/2 lengths after a quarter-mile in a moderate 24.17 seconds. At that point Trendsetter and Close the Gate, the John Salzman, Jr. trainee who obliterated maiden claiming foes last time out, were the duo in closest pursuit.
Rounding the turn, Trendsetter, a winner twice in two prior dirt starts, both at Colonial Downs, came under pressure. Close the Gate, meanwhile, turned up the heat on Hollywood Import after a half-mile in 48.66 seconds and put a head in front nearing the top of the lane.
“When he got the lead, and I saw the first quarter in 24 and I’m thinking, ‘Okay,’” Capuano said. “Then that horse got by him, but he dug in.”
Hollywood Import – perhaps owning a fitness advantage after having made three prior starts against winners – proved resilient, battling back and inching away late to win by three parts of a length. The Tim Keefe-trained Code of Silence overcame a ragged start to run on nicely for third.
“He’s just a fit horse,” Capuano said of the winner. “He’s dead fit, and he’s game.”
Running time for seven furlongs on a fast main track was 1:26.36.
With his second straight victory, Hollywood Import, owned by Pocket 3s Racing LLC, improved to 3-for-5 in his career and boosted his career bankroll to $176,200.
Hollywood Import paid $7.20 to win as the co-second choice, and the exacta returned $18.10 for a one-dollar wager.
The top three finishers in the Spectacular Bid all are Triple Crown-nominated, and while any would be a longshot to reach Louisville, the Maryland route to the Preakness – through the Feb. 21 Miracle Wood, March 21 Private Terms, and April 18 Federico Tesio – offers an attractive option.
It’s one, certainly, that Capuano, whose 2025 2-year-olds had a banner year, has in mind.
“All these two-year-olds turning three, they’re running consistent,” he said. “As long as they’re doing well and they’re training well, we’ll let them tell us, but this time of year it’s hard to pass up when they’re straight three-year-olds, especially when they fit in good. It’s hard to put them on the shelf when they’re doing good.”
One race earlier, post-time favorite Victory Music proved similarly resilient in fending off Bresha to win the $100,000 Xtra Heat for three-year-old fillies. Running time for six furlongs was 1:13.72.
Trained by Michael Maker for Three Diamonds Farm, Victory Music earned her first stakes win and improved to 2-for-5 in her career.
“They told me, ‘Break sharp, Angel,’” said winning rider Angel Cruz. “’You don’t have to be on the lead,’ so I sat off it a little bit. She was sharp, but she was game the whole stretch.”
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