INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kettle Corn defeated Akkadian by a neck to win the $57,008 feature on opening day of Betfair Hollywood Park’s autumn meet on Thursday, ending a six-race skid with his first win of the year.
Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Kettle Corn ran 1 1/16 miles on the turf in 1:41.75 and paid $4, $2.60 and $2.10 as the even-money favorite. It was Kettle Corn’s first win since Dec. 3, when he won the Native Diver Handicap. Trainer John Sadler earned his 1,999th victory in North America.
Akkadian returned $3 and $2.40, while Oligarch was another half-length back in third and $2.20 to show.
The victory, worth $33,600, increased Kettle Corn’s career earnings to $364,111, with seven wins in 19 starts. He won six times last year.
