Carmel Coffee Scores Front-Running Win Under Nakatani

— Louisiana-bred Carmel Coffee went to the lead from the start with favorite Schill hot on her heels, opened up with ease at the top of the stretch and cruised to a 2 1/2-length victory under jockey Corey Nakatani in the $52,000 allowance/optioner claiming feature Friday night at Hollywood Park.

Carmel Coffee, owned by Shimamura Racing and trained by Paul Aguirre, won for the third time in ten starts while covering six furlongs on the Lakeside Turf Course in 1:09.17.

The 5-year-old daughter of Holy Bull, who has only missed the money once, banked $31,200 to boost her earnings to $134,280. She paid $6, $3.60 and $2.80. Schill returned $3.40 and $2.40, while the show payoff on Cosmic Queen was $3.40.