A HUMBLE BEGINNING HOLLYWOOD PARK FALL SEASON STARTS EARLY FOR HOLIDAY, BIGGER RACES LATER.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

INGLEWOOD - The high point of Hollywood Park's 23rd fall season should be the Thanksgiving-weekend Turf Festival featuring the Hollywood Derby and Matriarch and three other stakes.

It certainly won't be opening day.

The odd Tuesday opener presents fans with a light card, starting with a five-horse sprint, including a trio of eight-horse maiden claiming races and topped by the seven-horse Bien Bien Stakes. Beginning at 12:30 p.m., the program's eight races average only 7.4 entrants.

Hollywood Park, like most of the nation's major tracks, is racing today to take advantage of the Veteran's Day holiday. The Inglewood venue will be closed Wednesday before returning to a Wednesday-to-Sunday calendar for the rest of the 30-day meet that runs through Dec. 21.

The $70,000 Bien Bien, a 1-mile turf race for 3-year-old non-stakes-winners, is headed by a Bobby Frankel-trained pair, favored Special Rate and recent German import Royal Price. Breeders' Cup hero Richard Mandella has Gentlemen's Club stretching out from sprints in his third start since a year-long injury layoff.

Frankel begins the meet six victories away from Charlie Whittingham's Hollywood Park career record of 859.

The Bien Bien winner could go on to the Hollywood Derby, which shares the Nov. 30 marquee with the Matriarch. The $600,000 Hollywood Derby has been lengthened from 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 miles on turf in a move racing secretary Martin Panza hopes will attract more European horses. The $500,000 Matriarch is cutting back from 1 1/8 miles on 1 mile on turf, making it the nation's richest grass race of that distance for fillies and mares.

The meet's other traditional highlight is the $200,000 Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 20. The 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds can boast of sending winners A.P. Indy, Real Quiet and Point Given on to Triple Crown victories in the decade from 1991 to 2000.

Doug O'Neill, champion trainer at this meet in 2002 and at the recent Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita, is represented in the Bien Bien by Blairs General. O'Neill entered horses in five opening-day races.

Pat Valenzuela, who held off Tyler Baze, 34 victories to 33, to lead the Oak Tree jockey standings, will have a hard time making it a clean sweep of the Southern California meet titles this year. Valenzuela is forced to miss much of this Hollywood Park season under suspension for on-track infractions.

Kevin Modesti, [phone]

kevin.modesti(at)dailynews.com

HOLLYWOOD PARK AT A GLANCE

Schedule: The 30-day season runs today to Dec. 21. Racing Wednesdays through Sundays, with exception of this week, when track is open Tuesday and closed Wednesday. First race 12:30 p.m. most days; 7:05 p.m. the meet's first two Fridays, and 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27.

Major races: $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, Nov. 22; $600,000 Hollywood Derby and $500,000 Matriarch, Nov. 30; $200,000 Hollywood Futurity, Dec. 20; $200,000 Hollywood Starlet, Dec. 21.

2002 leaders: Jockeys Alex Solis and Victor Espinoza, 34 victories each; trainer Doug O'Neill, 16 victories.

Scratches and results: [phone], hollywoodpark.com.

Information: [phone].

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HOLLYWOOD PARK AT A GLANCE (see text)