The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com)NINE SPEEDSTERS TO TAKE ON LIT DE JUSTICE IN PAT O'BRIEN HANDICAP
Headed by the explosive Lit de Justice, 10 sprinters are expected to go to the post for Saturday's Grade III Pat O'Brien Handicap at 7 furlongs on Del Mar's main track. If the 10 start, the purse will be $106,650, and the winner's share will be $66,650.
Lit de Justice comes into the race off of a breath-taking victory in the Grade III, 6-furlong Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup at the seaside track on July 28. Getting off slowly from the gate, as he often does, Lit de Justice, with Corey Nakatani aboard, swooped around the field from last place to win by a pulling-away 3 1/2 lengths for owner Evergreen Farm and trainer Jenine Sahadi, who through Wednesday was tied for the lead in the trainer's standings with Mike Mitchell, with eight victories each.
Lit de Justice won the Pat O'Brien last year in the stakes-record time of 1:20, which tied the track record, and was voted top sprinter of the meet.
Lit de Justice will carry high weight of 123 pounds, including Nakatani, and he'll give five pounds to his closest rival, Ridder Thoroughbred Stable's Alphabet Soup, who gets the saddle services of Chris Antley.
The others entering this morning were Glen Hill Farm's Concept Win, who finished second in the Bing Crosby and will carry 115, including Pat Valenzuela; Mary Jean Bublitz's G Malleah, 115, Joey Castro; Prince Fahd Salman's Gold Land, 115, Eddie Delahoussaye; Conejo Ranch and Pendleton's Bold Capital, 113, Alex Solis; Budget Stable's Boundless Moment, 113, Kent Desormeaux; Lima Family Trust's First Intent, 112, Laffit Pincay, Jr.; Ernest Auerbach's Tres Paraiso, 110, Brice Blanc; and Harvey S. Bryant's He's OK, 108, Sal Gonzalez, Jr.
KENT DESORMEAUX, AGENT GENE SHORT PART COMPANY AFTER 10 YEARS
Jockey Kent Desormeaux and his agent, Gene Short, officially ended a 10-year association Wednesday afternoon. Desormeaux, a three-time Eclipse Award winner who set a national record of 598 victories in 1989 and already has won more than 3,000 races, hired Ron Anderson, agent for Chris Antley and the injured Gary Stevens, to handle his business, beginning next Wednesday.
Short, who has handled Desormeaux's book of business for all but five of the rider's victories, said the split was amicable and that the two were still friends. Said Short: "People have just gotten sour on him. I've gone to these guys [trainers] and asked to ride and they have other riders. We've had a lot of horses that probably should have won but didn't have much luck in the afternoon. We could easily have had 15 or 16 winners here." Desormeaux has eight victories through the first 19 days of the 43-day meeting.
"I didn't want to give him up," Short said, "but I did tell him that if I thought it was all my fault, that I wasn't doing my job, then I would take all the blame, but I can't say that. We go through cycles ... and we're not the hot jockey. Maybe changing will help." Short, a native of Arkansas, said he has been approached to take on another jockey's book, but he has decided to leave the business for a sales job with a marble and tile contractor in Dallas.
One of the benefits of the new job, he said, will be the opportunity to see his children - 18-year-old T.J., 13-year-old Crystal and six-week-old Jordan - more often. They live with their mother, Short's former wife, Kathy, in DeQueen, Ark., and that's about a four-hour drive from Dallas, he said.
Of the switch, Anderson said it was official Wednesday when Desormeaux solidified the deal. The change puts Antley on the hot seat, because when Stevens returns in October from left shoulder surgery Antley will need to look for another agent. Agents aren't allowed more than two journeyman riders.
"I don't know what Chris wants to do right now," Anderson said. "I told him I wouldn't leave him out in the cold. Whatever he wants to do will be fine."
Antley said, "I'm going to sit still. I'm going to stay where I'm at. I've got plenty of time and a lot of the agents are hustling me so I guess I'll be fine."
EARLY SUNSET BRINGS UP LAST OF DEL MAR'S "FOUR O'CLOCK FRIDAYS"
The fourth and final twilight racing card of the season will be held Friday as Del Mar's popular "Four O'Clock Fridays" come to an end for 1996. Post time for the first race of the eight-race card is 4 p.m.
Following the day's final race, fans can stay around for a free concert in the track's Plaza de Mexico by the reggae band Common Sense.
AUTHOR WILLIAM MURRAY TO HAVE BOOK SIGNING SATURDAY
William Murray will be at Del Mar's Gift Horse Gift Shop at the Plaza de Mexico in the grandstand area Saturday to sign his most recent racetrack mystery, "A Fine Italian Hand." The signing will take place from noon to 2 p.m.
Murray, who lives in Del Mar, is the author of several mysteries with a racing backdrop and for many years has been a staff writer with "The New Yorker" magazine. Among his other books: "Tip on a Dead Crab," "King of the Nightcap," "The Wrong Horse," and "Now You See Her, Now You Don't."
HANDICAPPING TIPS AVAILABLE IN DEL MAR'S FREE WEEKEND SEMINARS
Trainer Jude Feld will lead Del Mar's free handicapping seminar on Saturday and Frank Tate, the editor of "Trainer Analysis Reports," will hold forth on Sunday as Del Mar continues to offer fans a chance to get insights and pointers from recognized handicappers on handicapping in general and the day's race card in particular.
The seminars are scheduled for 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. at the track's Seaside Terrace, near the head of the stretch. Jack Minger, a member of the Del Mar media staff, is host.
SEASON'S FINAL "DONUTS AT DEL MAR" IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY
The popular "Donuts at Del Mar" feature will have its last stand for the season on Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. at the track's Seaside Terrace, near the head of the stretch.
Guests for this Saturday's session will be steward David Samuel, jockey Alex Solis, fresh from his victory in the $1,000,000 Pacific Classic aboard Dare and Go; and Jenine Sahadi, who has stakes victories during the meeting with Fastness and Lit de Justice. Track announcer Trevor Denman is host.
Free donuts, juice and coffee, as well as jockey trading cards, are available to fans. Participating in the event with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club are Yum Yum Donuts and Radio Station Q106.
SHORE LINES: Saturday's Pacific Classic Day's attendance of 44,181 on track at Del Mar was the largest on-track crowd at a California racetrack since the 50,023 that witnessed the Santa Anita Handicap in 1990 .... Jockey Sal Gonzalez, Jr. has returned from a riding stint in Hong Kong, and had his first mount of the Del Mar season on Wednesday .... Jockey agent Jim Pegram visited the backstretch this morning, on a break from racing at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. Pegram's rider, Jose Valdivia, who rode as an apprentice last summer at Del Mar, is the fifth leading jockey at Ellis. He went to Kentucky earlier this year, and finished 15th in the standings at Churchill Downs' spring meeting .... Jockey Corey Black, who injured his right hand recently, is expected to be back riding next Wednesday. His cast comes off Monday.
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com)