Stable Notes Del Mar, California Friday, September 5, 1997 (Day 39)

SHORT BUT TALENTED FIELD SET FOR DEL MAR BREEDERS' CUP HANDICAP

Short on quantity, but long on quality is the report on Saturday's 11th version of the Grade II, $200,000-added Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap as a field of five, headed by Northern Afleet and Crafty Friend, is scheduled for the one-mile race on the main track.

If all five start, the gross purse will be $206,700, with the winner's share being $126,700.

Northern Afleet, owned by Robert Anderson and Ronald Waranch and trained by David Hofmans, comes into the race off a scintillating victory July 26 in Del Mar's Grade III San Diego Handicap and has been assigned high weight of 120 pounds. In the San Diego, the 4-year-old son of Afleet defeated Mr. and Mrs. Martin Wygod's Benchmark and Roberta Cohen and Red Baron's Barn's New Century, both of whom are coming back in the B.C. Handicap. Regular rider Chris McCarron will be aboard Northern Afleet, while Eddie Delahoussaye retains the ride on Benchmark and Victor Espinoza picks up the mount on New Century.

Crafty Friend, owned by The Thoroughbred Corp. and trained by Wallace Dollase, finished third in the Grade I, $1-million Pacific Classic in his most recent start on August 9. Crafty Friend, who preceded the Pacific Classic effort with a win in Hollywood Park's Grade II Bel Air Handicap July 12, will carry 118, including regular rider Alex Solis.

Rounding out the field is Cobra Farm's Pinfloron, who won Hollywood Park's Grade II Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile on turf June 15. He'll carry 118 pounds, including Gary Stevens.

DESORMEAUX BREAKS TIE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN DEL MAR JOCKEY RACE

Kent Desormeaux rode one winner --- Eastside Westside -- Thursday while Alex Solis went winless, and the young Louisiana native took a 35-34 lead over Solis in Del Mar's race for leading jockey of the meet. Solis is seeking his second straight Del Mar riding title and is trying to extend to seven his string of consecutive riding titles at Southern California's three major tracks.

Also helping to tighten up the race is Eddie Delahoussaye, who rode one winner -- Lakota Brave in the featured Crazy Kid Stakes -- to raise his season total to 33.

Here's who they ride today, with morning-line odds:

Kent Desormeaux (7 mounts) -- First race: Barrier Breaker, 6-1; Second: Call Blanche, 4-1; Third: Criollito, 9-5; Fourth: Delta Mae, 15-1; Fifth: Manoir D'Anjou, 3-1; Eighth: Ex Marks the Cop, 9-5; Ninth: Art Festival, 10-1.

Alex Solis (7 mounts) -- First race: Strategist, 9-2; Second: Dynamint, 9-5; Third: Savinio, 9-2; Fourth: Laguna Miss, 10-1; Fifth: Kessem Power, 7-2; Seventh: Shy Marfa, 10-1; Ninth: Hulajazz, 8-1.

Eddie Delahoussaye (6 mounts) -- Third race: Driggs Retreat, 3-1; Fifth: Yuste, 5-2; Sixth: Just Ruler, 9-5; Seventh: Tuzla, 2-1; Eighth: Champ's Star, 7-2; Ninth: Leopold, 4-1.

TRAINER RACE TURNS INTO A RUNAWAY FOR HOT BOB BAFFERT BARN

The closeness of the Del Mar rider race emphasizes the runaway nature of the race for trainer honors where Bob Baffert is following the old racetrack slogan of being "On the Bill Dailey" -- go to the front and improve your position.

From Day One, Baffert has either been on the lead by himself or tied for the lead. The last tie -- at 5 and 5 with Barry Abrams -- was broken on July 30, the seventh day of the 43-day meeting. Since then, the irrepressible Baffert has built an insurmountable 23-13 lead over runner- up Mike Mitchell, who was seeking his third straight training title at the seaside course and seventh overall.

Baffert upped his total to 23 Thursday when the maiden filly Eastside Westside blitzed the fifth-race field by 12 lengths.

Filling out the Top Five among trainers are Ron McAnally, with 10 victories, and Dan Hendricks and Doug Peterson, with nine each.

LAFFIT PINCAY, JR. WATCH -- In his quest to surpass Bill Shoemaker's record of 889 career victories at Del Mar, Laffit Pincay, Jr., who failed to ride a winner in three tries Thursday, starts today's races with 886 victories. Pincay's mounts today, with morning-line odds: Second race: N A Flutter, 3-1; Ninth: Crystal Gazer, 12-1.

RIDER ST. JULIEN HOPES TO MAKE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HIS CIRCUIT

Marlon St. Julien, who has made quite a name for himself in Louisiana and Texas, hopes to carry that success into Southern California on a scale that will let him make this circuit his new home territory.

St. Julien made his first foray into the money Thursday when he finished third on King Chalumbo in the second race for trainer Dallas Keen, one of the trainers for which he had much success at the recent inaugural meet at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. St. Julien, a native of Lafayette, La., finished second in the jockey standings with 87 victories at Lone Star behind veteran rider Ronald Ardoin. Among his wins were eight stakes races.

A veteran of eight years as a rider, the 25-year-old St. Julien got acquainted with racing by hanging around the barns of a couple of trainer- uncles when he was young. He's been riding professionally since he was 17, shortly after his high school graduation. The rider said before his decision to ride he had thought seriously about pursuing football, instead, despite his stature. As a result, when he decided he would come to the racetrack to ride he had to lose close to 30 pounds of bulk he had put on for football.

Fortunately, he says , his natural body size and style allowed him to lose the weight quickly and safely. He rides at 113 to 114.

Of his early impressions of racing here, St. Julien said: "I love this racetrack. In my heart, I think I can fit in here. I'd like to make this [Southern California] my circuit."

Agent Jim Pegram will handle his business here.

SHORE LINES -- Laffit Pincay, Jr., the Hall of Fame jockey who is in pursuit of Bill Shoemaker's Del Mar's career victory record of 889, will be the track's guest on its Internet hosted Chat Room Monday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. where he'll answer questions posed by fans. ... The Stevens brothers, Gary and Scott, ride in tandem today for owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert in the sixth race aboard Johnbill and Real Quiet, respectively, a pair of 2-year-old maidens. Johnbill is winless is two tries at Del Mar, and Real Quiet finished third in the Indian Nations Cup Futurity at The Downs in Santa Fe, NM, in his most recent outing. ... Name of the Day: Wegotohaveharte, a 2-year-old maiden running for trainer Michael Harte in the sixth race.

TODAY'S SIMULCAST STAKES -- Belmont Park: General Douglas MacArthur.