Stable Notes Del Mar, California Wednesday, August 20, 1997 (Day 25)

EIGHT 2-YEAR-OLDS PRIMED FOR DEL MAR'S GRADE III BEST PAL STAKES

Headed by Hollywood Juvenile Championship second-place finisher Old Topper, eight 2-year-olds are expected to go to the post in today's 27th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Best Pal Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Del Mar's main track. Billy Black, winner of the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar July 30, was scratched this morning from what originally was a nine- horse field.

The Best Pal, known for 25 years as the Balboa Stakes, was renamed last year in honor of California's all-time purse-winning champion, Golden Eagle Farm's Best Pal, whose career earnings reached $5.6 million. Best Pal's first major stakes victory came in the 1990 Balboa Stakes.

If all eight start, the gross purse will be $108,825, with $68,825 going to the winner. Deduct $1,000 from each figure for any other scratches.

FIELD OF EIGHT POSSIBLE FOR SUNDAY'S GRADE II DEBUTANTE STAKES

The fact that Golden Eagle Farm's Career Collection, trained by Wallace Dollase, is going for her third Grade II victory in Sunday's $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, hasn't seemed to serve to cut down on competition. A field of at least eight 2-year-old fillies seems to be shaping up.

Career Collection, who clocked a sharp 1:12 in a six-furlong workout this morning, already has won the Grade II Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Grade II Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar August 6. Jockey Alex Solis was in the saddle for this morning's work and will ride on Sunday as a replacement for regular rider Corey Nakatani, who is serving a suspension for the rest of the Del Mar meet.

Love Lock, owned by Michael Tabor and trained by D. Wayne Lukas, could be the second favorite in the race, off of her victory in Churchill Downs' Debutante Stakes in June. She was pulled up in the Ellis Park Debutante Stakes August 9 after she stumbled badly coming out of the gate and was bumped soundly during the first eighth of a mile. Joe Bravo, who has had much recent success with Lukas horses in the East, will be in to ride Love Lock.

Other probables for the race are Griselle, a closing second in the Sorrento, who will be ridden by J.G. Matos; Rattle My Nerves, winner of the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar July 25, who will have Rene Douglas in the irons; Kendra Faye, with Eddie Delahoussaye; Vivid Angel, with meet-leading rider Kent Desormeaux; Czarina, second in the CTBA, with no rider named; and Balisian Beauty, with Laffit Pincay, Jr.

JOCKEY CHRIS MCCARRON'S MOTHER DIES IN MASSACHUSETTS

Helen McCarron, mother of Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, died Tuesday night in Milton, MA, after a lengthy illness.

McCarron was traveling today to Milton. There will be a wake for Mrs. McCarron on Thursday and the funeral will be Friday at Dolan Funeral Home, 460 Granite Avenue in Milton. The family has asked that donations can be made to the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund.

Following the funeral, McCarron will travel to Saratoga Springs, NY, where he'll ride Deputy Commander in Saturday's Travers Stakes, and then will go on to Arlington International Race Course near Chicago to ride Sandpit in the Arlington Million on Sunday. He'll return to Del Mar on Monday.

A "CHANGED" COREY BLACK HAVING SOLID SEASON AS RIDER AT DEL MAR

What a difference a year -- and a few pounds -- make.

It was this time last year that jockey Corey Black was struggling to make it to the winner's circle at Del Mar, mostly because he was struggling to keep his weight down, something that had been going on for several years. That's no longer the case for the 28-year-old veteran of 12 years in the saddle. He has 10 wins from 85 mounts so far this meeting, easily surpassing his seven victories from 97 mounts for all of last year's meet "where the turf meets the surf."

"Three months ago, I made some personal changes and I've got my weight under control, and I feel like I'm riding as well as I've ever ridden. My weight's the best it's been in five years, so I'm a lot better in the afternoon because I don't have to lose so much weight to ride every day like I was in the last five years."

The major change for Black has been a new diet, and exercising the discipline to stick with it.

"I got to a point where I decided if I wanted to ride past the age of 30, I had to make some changes and, basically, be like Laffit [Pincay, Jr., who had weight problems for several years] and be disciplined. I figured if he could do it, I could do it. I'm not saying I'm as disciplined as Laffit is, but I try to do similar things."

Black rides at 116, but can make 115 if needed, he says. "It's not that my weight is any lighter than I was riding at before, it's how much I'm having to lose each day before I ride," the rider said. "Before I was having to lose six or seven pounds a day. My weight was really out of control, and I was pulling [losing] a lot of weight every day and then I would blow up at night and have to lose it again in the daytime."

In that kind of situation, his strength suffered.

He began making changes, he said, early in the Hollywood Park spring- summer meeting and they produced solid results for him. He finished the meet with 26 wins and ranked eighth in the standings.

TWILIGHT RACING OVER; FIRST POST ON FRIDAY IS AT REGULAR 2 P.M.

After four straight "Four O'Clock Fridays" twilight racing programs, Del Mar returns to regular racing on Friday for the remainder of the 43-day meeting. First post this Friday and the remaining Fridays will be at the track's regular daily time of 2 p.m.

These still will be music following the races on Fridays. This week's band is the alternative rock band "Stir."

SHORE LINES -- After 24 days, the race for jockey honors at Del Mar remains tight, with Kent Desormeaux, Alex Solis and Eddie Delahoussaye riding on or near the lead. Desormeaux, who has two seaside riding titles to his credit, leads with 23 victories, while Solis, shooting for his second straight title and his seventh straight at the three major Southern California tracks, sits right behind the pace with 21. Delahoussaye, who won a Del Mar title in 1989, is third with 18 wins. ... Jockeys Gary Stevens and Corey Black will join Chris McCarron in riding elsewhere on Sunday. Stevens will be aboard Donna Viola for trainer Ben Cecil in the Beverly D Stakes and on Marlin for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in the Arlington Million, both at Arlington International Race Course. Black will ride Labeeb for trainer Neil Drysdale, also in the Arlington Million. ... Author Jim Val will be signing his book, "Best Pal," today from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the Grandstand Paddock area next to the track's gift shop. ... Notable recent workouts -- Tuesday: P.T. Indy and Sandpit, :47 4/5 for four furlongs; Vivid Angel, 1:00 3/5; Griselle, 1:00 4/5, at five furlongs; Today: Fantastic Fellow, :46 2/5 for four furlongs; Anet, 1:12 4/5 for six furlongs; Real Connection, 1:26 for seven furlongs; on the turf (dogs up): Escena, :51 for four furlongs; Labeeb, 1:02 2/5 for five furlongs.

TODAY'S SIMULCAST STAKES -- Saratoga: West Point Handicap.