February 19, 1998
SANTA ANITA
Jockey Chris McCarron won two major stakes at Santa Anita last weekend, beginning with the $200,000 Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) for older fillies and mares. Pam & Martin Wygod's Exotic Wood demonstrated her new-found maturity by relaxing behind leaders Tuzla and Toda Una Dama (Arg) for much of the race, then pulling around them and flying by on the turn to win by eight lengths. Giving six pounds to everyone, Exotic Wood proved last month's Santa Monica Handicap (gr. 1) victory was no fluke. Her record is now 11 for 15. Toda Una Dama (Arg) finished second, with Tuxedo Junction coming from way back for third. Tuzla faded to fourth and Real Connection, the popular gray one-eyed horse finishing last after running close to Exotic Wood down the backstretch. Trained by Ron Ellis, Exotic Wood won the Santa Maria in time 1:40.95, setting a new stakes record over the wet-fast track. Radu Cool was scratched.
On Sunday, 3-year-old fillies contested the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I), which turned out to be an eventful race. Keeper Hill, a 56-1 shot, scored a major upset under David Flores when she charged up on the turn to go after leaders Star of Broadway and Mishill. She fought Star of Broadway in the upper stretch, then drew away to win by 5 1/2 lengths in time 1:36.94 for the mile. Star of Broadway finished second, with Occhi Verdi getting third. Keeper Hill is trained by Bobby Frankel and owned by Dr. John A. Chandler. The two highweights at 122 pounds, Career Collection and Vivid Angel, finished fourth and fifth respectively, after sustaining injuries. Vivid Angel, who strained her stifle joints in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) has not recovered and appears to be moving backwards, according to her trainer, Bob Baffert. Consequently, she has been retired. Career Collection took a bad step on the backstretch, and injured her knee or ankle, trainer Wally Dollase reported. He was awaiting X-rays to determine the nature of her problem. Bountiful Beauty, sixth in the unfortunate Las Virgenes, sustained a strained right hind stifle and trainer Kim Lloyd will give her some time off.
Monday's featured $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) gave McCarron his second stakes victory of the weekend aboard front-running Bienvenido (Arg). The rain forced the San Luis Obispo off the turf onto a track labeled good, and Sidney Craig's 5-year-old won by four lengths in time 2:29.34. Prize Giving (GB) finished second and Callisthene (FR) was third. Kessem Power (NZ) clipped heels and threw jockey Kent Desormeaux, who was unhurt. Lord Cromby (Ire) and Boggle were scratched. Ron McAnally trains Bienvenido. On Santa Anita's undercard, the $75,000 Reb's Policy Handicap for 4-year-olds and up going six and a half furlongs provided a chance for several nice horses to get a race that could put them back into stakes company. Red led most of the way and looked like he had the pack beaten at the head of the stretch before being collared by a strong-closing Gold Land in deep stretch. Owned by Prince Fahd Salman and trained by Neil Drysdale, Gold Land won by a neck in time 1:15.30, with Red four lengths in front of Surachai. Anet ran fourth, with Savinio, who was never in the race, finishing fifth. Tolempo brought up the rear.
GULFSTREAM
Gulfstream Park started their parade of stakes races early last week, beginning with the $75,000 Hallandale Handicap on Wednesday, February 11. Rare Rock won the six furlong feature for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Betty Massey and J.J. Pletcher in time 1:08 3/5. Heckofaralph was second and Banjo third, with Kelly Kip coming in sixth. On Friday, the $50,000 Lord Avie Stakes pitted several up-and-coming 3-year-olds in a 1 1/16-mile race as an alternative to this Saturday's Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II). Limit Out scratched, leaving the door open for Nick Zito-trained Laydown to show the form he had last year as a 2-year-old. United States was second, Good and Tough third, Missionary fourth, and Thunder Bow last. Laydown, owned by Jim McIngvale, won in time 1:43 2/5 over the fast track. By Saturday, any fears that the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) might be taken off the turf dissipated with the rain. Flag Down loved the firm grass course and won the 1 3/8-mile feature over 12 horses in time 2:12 2/5. Trained by Christophe Clement for Allen Paulson, Flag Down has shown an affinity for the Gulfstream Park course. This time, assistant trainer Bertrand de Brevedant asserted that this was probably the best race Flag Down has run. So deep was the field that Buck's Boy was second, Copy Editor third, Casey Tibbs fourth, and Val's Prince fifth.
Sunday's $75,000 Suwanee River Handicap (gr. IIIT) gave the ladies a chance to run on the grass also. Like Flag Down, Seebe is showing a strong liking for the Gulfstream turf course, beating nine rivals in time 1:47 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles. Seebe was beaten only a head last year in the French 1000 Guineas (FR-1). Now trained by Jonathan Sheppard for George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable, Seebe won her U.S. debut at Gulfstream on January 14 by two lengths. Before the Suwanee River, she ran and again won, this time easily by 1-1/2 lengths. Colcon was second and Parade Queen third in the Suwanee.
Monday's $75,000 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the turf kept Cryptic Rascal undefeated on grass. The son of Cryptoclearance has run twice before on the turf and won. The Billy Badgett-trainee gave five to seven pounds to seven rivals and won under Mike Smith in time 1:55 flat. The Kaiser was second and Amercian Odyssey third.
LAUREL
Laurel Park celebrated President's Day weekend with a couple of $250,000 sprints for 3-year-olds and up. On Saturday, the Barbara Fritchie Stakes (gr. II) featured three mares hitting the wire together, with J.J.'s Dream getting the victory by a head over Palette Knife, who was in turn only a nose in front of Stylish Encore. J.J.s Dream won for owner John Franks and trainer Bobby Barnett in time 1:24.21 for the seven furlongs. Highweighted at 120 pounds, Miss Golden Circle finished sixth while giving between five and seven pounds to nine rivals. On Monday, the male version of the seven-furlong race, the General George Stakes (gr. II), featured the highweight getting the victory. Royal Haven carried 122 pounds including jockey Richard Migliore, and gave between four and nine pounds to a field of eight while finishing in time 1:23.04. Royal Haven drew alongside Purple Passion in the stretch, and went on to finish two lengths ahead of that rival, with Wire Me Collect third. Maryland-bred by Bob Manfuso and trained by Gasper Moschera for owner Barbara Davis, Royal Haven was a hometown hero on President's Day. Between the two $250,000 races over the three-day weekend, Laurel Park sandwiched in the $50,000 Dancing Count Stakes on Sunday. The race for 3-year-olds going six furlongs gave the improving colt Just Call Me Carl a chance to shine in stakes company for trainer Dale Capuano and owner Steven Tewby. While running wide under jockey Edgar Prado, Just Call Me Carl stuck his head in front on the turn and gradually increased his lead through the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length over Unreal Madness. Running Copelan was third behind Unreal Madness, who gave seven pounds to the winner and the rest of the field. Just Call Me Carl completed the six furlongs in time 1:10.83. His next start is the Heart Stakes on March 6 at 1 1/16 miles, when he will try two turns for the first time.
FAIR GROUNDS
The Fair Grounds showcased fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Saturday in the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes going six furlongs. Sky Blue Pink under Robby Albarado went wire-to-wire to win by a length over Morelia in time 1:09.55, setting a new stakes record, only 3/5 of a second off the track record. Little Sister finished third. Sky Blue Pink now has seven victories from nine starts, and is undefeated at six furlongs, having won at this distance six times. Bred by Mort Rosenthal and owned by Rosalind Rosenthal, Sky Blue Pink is trained by Thomas Amoss.
The $125,000 Whirlaway Stakes on Sunday came up sloppy as New Orleans received some rain. Moonlight Dancer must love an off track, because he went in a head-to-head battle with Eskimo Gigolo on the front end until that horse chucked it on the turn. Precocity moved up for the lead at that point, then the two dueled down the stretch. Moonlight Dancer won by a nose with Precocity four and a half lengths in front of Hot Brush. The 6YO homebred for Andrea S. Pollack's Columbine Stable notched his sixth win in 26 starts in time 1:44 1/5 for leading trainer Al Stall, Jr.
BAY MEADOWS
Bay Meadows managed to keep the horses running on a sloppy track all weekend, staging two races of import for the California racing scene. On Saturday, the $100,000 Bay Meadows Express at six furlongs for older horses was won by Mr. Doubledown over Wild Wonder in time 1:10 1/5. Venus Genus was third. On Monday, Presidents' Day, the $100,000 Golden State Mile attracted some 3-year-olds who were trying to see what kind they were. Undefeated Moonlight Meeting and undefeated Dixie Dot Com met for the first time, and Southern California jockeys David Flores on Yarrow Brae and Corey Nakatani on Moonlight Meeting came up for the race. Post a Note scored an upset, though, winning under local rider Rafael Meza, with Yarrow Brae second and Moonlight Meeting third. Post a Note won in time 1:37 2/5.
AQUEDUCT
The $75,000 Rare Treat Handicap (gr. III) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up was contested over a fast track at Aqueduct on Monday. Dewars Rocks under Jorge Chavez went from dead last to first racing wide around the turn, then drew away to win by 4 1/2 lengths in time 1:52.59 for the 1 1/8 miles. Termly was second and See Your Point third. Dewars Rocks is trained by H. James Bond, and owned by James Edwards.