Bella Banissa Starts Out as Early Stakes Favorite

The morning line favorite in today’s $75,000 Nursery, the first 2-year-old stakes of 2004 locally, is a filly who will be in her first race.

Bella Banissa, a daughter of Good And Tough, who is a son of Carson City, is the 2-1 choice against eight others in the five-furlong race. It is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $190,452.

Owned by Legacy Ranch and trained by Dave Hofmans, Bella Banissa, who was purchased for $100,000 at Barretts in March, has trained as if she has some ability. In her last three workouts, she went five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 and 59 2/5 and went half a mile Thursday in 47 1/5. Corey Nakatani will ride from the outside post.

The Nursery, which was won a year ago by Wacky Patty, has attracted three fillies who have won at Hollywood Park.

They are Rents Due, who is trained by Jerry Dutton, who has won this race four times; Continental Caller, who beat $40,000 maidens April 30, and Swiss Please.

The rest of the field: Kelly’s Princess, Shocking Dunn, Double D Appeal, Lyndee’s Pearl and first-time starters Quiet Flyer and Caillech.

Race of the day: Is It True Mex, an 8-year-old who has won 11 of 31 starts on the turf, will try for his second win of the Hollywood Park meet in today’s fifth, a $40,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs.

The son of Is It True, who upset Easy Goer in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will be ridden by Omar Figueroa, who was aboard for his win April 23. Other contenders are Los Solano, Royal Robe, Brigadier Jones and Danzhound.

One for the road: Market Factors is a first-time starter from a solid barn (Dean Pederson) in a weak race in today’s sixth at Bay Meadows, an $8,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs. Francisco Duran will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Moscow Ballet.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Taylor’s Series, She’s Movin On and Lucy Loup in the fourth, Los Solano in the fifth and Atouratoura and Dinan in the sixth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/39. Money: Previous day/meet total: $4.20/$213. Total money bet: $308.