Stable Notes Del Mar, California Monday, September 8, 1997 (Day 42)

HALL OF FAMER STEVENS TIES DEL MAR STAKES RECORD, COULD BREAK IT

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens rode two stakes winners Sunday to tie the Del Mar season record of 12 held by a couple of other Hall of Famers -- Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Chris McCarron. And Stevens has two more chances Wednesday to better the mark.

Stevens won the $78,950 Torrey Pines Stakes aboard Relaxing Rhythm and came back in the next race -- the fourth -- to capture the $76,675 CHBPA & Thoroughbred Owners of California Stakes with Yokama.

On Wednesday, Stevens will ride Skywalker's Choice in the $75,000-added Live the Dream Stakes and Double Honor, the 2-1 morning-line favorite, in the Grade II, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity.

Stevens added a third victory on the day when he rode Hogan's Alley to a dead heat for second with Babalover in the sixth race, and both horses were put up to first when Letter of Marque was disqualified from first and placed third. The three wins added $250 to the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund, through a donation by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, running the season total to $3,750.

Another $250 went to the Fund later in the day when jockey Michael Hunter completed a triple with Gingerbob in the seventh race, sending the total to $4,000. Hunter had won earlier on Siyah Tomboy in the second race and A.J. Jett in the fifth.

FORMER MULTIPLE-GROUP WINNER MILLKOM SET FOR RACING COMEBACK

Millkom, owned by Gary A. Tanaka and trained by Ben Cecil, is set to begin what the trainer hopes will be a successful comeback after nearly two years away from racing as a result of two tendon injuries following his victory September 16, 1995 in the Grade I Man O'War Handicap at Belmont Park in his American debut.

That victory put him in line to be the probable favorite in that year's Breeders' Cup Turf at 1 1/2 miles. The tendon injuries, Cecil said, showed up the morning after the Man O'War win.

Millkom came to the Cecil barn this past January, and the trainer said he told owner Tanaka, for whom he has other horses, that it would be something of a miracle if he could get Millkom back to the races. Cecil said this morning, "He's as ready as I think we can get him off training. It's been a long process bringing him back. I'm surprised he's done so well."

Though Cecil said he thinks putting high weight of 118 on the 6-year-old horse off a two-year layoff was "a little much," he has no thought of scratching the horse because of the weight. "I need to get a race into him," the British-born trainer said. "If he runs well, and comes back from this race fine, we'll point him toward the Oak Tree Turf Championship [October 12], and then take it from there." Meaning this year's Breeders' Cup Turf could be in the cards.

SOLIS EXTENDS LEAD IN RIDER RACE; DELAHOUSSAYE TIES DESORMEAUX

Alex Solis and Eddie Delahoussaye scored one victory each Sunday, giving Solis a two-win edge over his closest foes and moving Delahoussaye into a tie with Kent Desormeaux, who was winless on the day, for second place. Solis leads with 38 victories and Desormeaux and Delahoussaye have 36.

Solis had a second winner Sunday, but his mount, Letter of Marque, was disqualified and placed third in the sixth race.

Here's who the top three jockeys will ride today, with morning-line odds:

Alex Solis (5 mounts) -- Fourth race: Secret Salute, 3-1; Fifth: Fascinate, 3-1; Sixth: Rameau, 2-1; Seventh: Marquee's Prized, 12-1; Eighth: Pride of Prized, 7-2.

Eddie Delahoussaye (5 mounts) -- Third race: Naughty N Haughty, 3-1; Fifth: Tiz a Vixen, 8-1; Sixth: Concordial, 4-1; Seventh: Connie's Con, 10-1; Eighth: Gallant Georgio, 9-2.

Kent Desormeaux (3 mounts) -- Fifth race: Witchy, 2-1; Seventh: Fiscal Year, 3-1; Eighth: Kalahari Son, 3-1.

LAFFIT PINCAY, JR. WATCH -- Laffit Pincay, Jr. was winless Sunday and remains two victories away from tying Bill Shoemaker's Del Mar career win record of 889. With 887 victories to his credit, Pincay has five mounts on today's card. Here they are, with morning-line odds: First race: Flying Standby, 2-1; Second: Joey Two Times, 6-1; Fifth: April Bel, 30-1; Sixth: Lissitki, 10-1; Eighth: Oneofthesenights, 30-1.

SHORE LINES -- Jockey agent Brian Beach, who handles business for Kent Desormeaux, has added the book of Brice Blanc, a young rider who served part of his apprenticeship in 1995 at the Del Mar meeting and has remained a journeyman rider on the Southern California circuit since. Beach said Blanc will beginning riding for him at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita. ... Closing out the track's 43-day meeting will be a 10-race card Wednesday headed by the Del Mar Futurity. The day's program also will off two other smaller stakes races -- the El Cajon Stakes for 3-year- olds at a mile on the main track and the Live the Dream Handicap for 3- year-olds and up at a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. ... Following Wednesday's races, there will be a "Party in the Paddock" as the final event of the season. There will be dancing to the music of the band "Heroes," light hors d'oeuvres and a no-host bar. Advance tickets can be purchased for $20, or they can be bought at the door for $30. Tickets include Clubhouse admission for that day's races.