GOLDEN GLIMPSES #48

HOLLYWOOD, NPMA PLAYING COSTLY HARDBALL TO THE END

Best bet at Hollywood Park: there will be no settlement this meet between the track and the Nevada Pari-Mutuel Association over simulcast fees and duration of a contract.

"We spoke to Don Driscoll (executive director of the NPMA) last Friday (Nov. 8)," said Hollywood Park general manager Eual Wyatt Jr.

"We told him where we stand, that we can't sign a multi-year agreement, and neither we, nor our horsemen, are willing to accept a fee less than what's being paid to the other Southern California race tracks. It's pretty simple."

Santa Anita and Del Mar reportedly have four-year deals with the NPMA paying 3.5 percent of handle. Hollywood is after a one-year pact at that fee, but the NPMA wants three percent.

"We have not reached a simulcast agreement with the NPMA because it refuses to pay the same fee paid at other Southern California meetings -- including Hollywood's 1996 spring/summer meet -- unless a multi-year agreement is consummated," Hollywood Park says.

"Hollywood Park cannot enter into a multi-year contract because the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) will not consent to such an agreement, as is its right under the Inter-State Horse Racing Act.

"We cannot deliver what they're insisting on," track chairman R.D. Hubbard said. "We simply cannot represent that we have TOC's approval to enter into a multiple-year agreement when we do not have it. Moreover, we agree with TOC's position.

"At the same time, the TOC will not agree to a contract which calls for less compensation from Nevada than was received during all 1996 Southern California race meetings."

Without the books taking Hollywood's races, the track is losing roughly $500,000 a day in handle. Over 36 days, that's $18 million, hardball of the highest order.

Asked if it was possible the stalemate could last through the meet, which ends Dec. 22, Wyatt said: "I guess that's up to Las Vegas."

AMOUROSIA -- French-bred mare was fractious in gate, causing McCarron to bail out, but she won anyway thanks to a flawless ride. Should continue to pay her way on turf for high-percentage Ron Ellis barn.

FLEET CHEROKEE -- Ran winning race in defeat on grass though finishing third, beaten a zap for all the money. Similar effort versus $45,000 claiming types should do it.

SWEET SYMMETRY -- Daughter of Magesterial rallied from well back to win debut at 7-1 under confident ride by Eddie D., repeat likely.

THE HOMESTRETCH: The sad saga of Patrick Valenzuela continues. The 34-year-old jockey was scheduled for a Nov.14 arraignment on two misdemeanor counts, but is hospitalized in drug re-hab and now due to appear Dec. 12. "I was rooting for him to make it this time," said fellow rider Corey Black of Valenzuela and his career that has been marked by similar incidents. "Not so much for Patrick, but for his family and kids." . . . Bob Baffert plans to run Hal Earnhardt's sensational 2-year-old In Excessive Bull in the $250,000-added Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 15. "Initially, I was going to run him in the Precisionist (at one mile on the turf), but I ran him in the Hollywood Prevue instead," Baffert said. "It looks very good for the Hollywood Futurity." The California-bred son of In Excess would have to be a $25,000 supplement . . . Racing's next great horse could be a son or daughter of Cigar-Serena's Song. Said D. Wayne Lukas, on the retirement of Serena's Song, the all-time leading female money winner with $3,283,388: "Every owner and trainer should be blessed with having one like her. She met every call and was just one of those exceptional race horses. I'm glad she got the record, and looking at the big picture, economically, we felt it was time to retire her. We'll breed her to one of the top stallions, which hasn't been selected yet. We've got some ideas, and obviously it will be Storm Cat or Mr. Prospector, or it might be Thunder Gulch or Cigar. Who knows?" One consideration for Serena's retirement likely was her insurance premium, which, on a mare of her value, could have exceeded $250,000 . . . Cliff Sise Jr., who sent out Paying Dues to run a surprising second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, says "he's like a brand new horse right now" and could make his next start at a distance on the turf . . . Reading Habit, a 2-year-old Cal-bred daughter of Half A Year, posted one of the most impressive debut victories in many a meet when she coasted home by three lengths at five furlongs in :57 2/5, just one second off Hollywood's track record. Winning trainer Wally Dollase: "We never let her run in the morning, because I was told before I got her that she was very fast. The trick is to slow her down. We tried not to let her run in the mornings, because we didn't want to get her speed-crazy. There was no speed in this race compared to hers, so I told Corey (Nakatani) not to choke her down, because I didn't want to discourage her and blow the race (at 3-5). Sometimes you cut their air off by tucking them like that. Corey rode her real well, but he didn't get after her, so she had a very good experience. Obviously, it will get a lot tougher from here. I think she'll start relaxing down the road." Dollase got Reading Habit from Golden Eagle Farm's training center in San Luis Rey Downs where she was prepped by veteran horseman Jack Haynes, who formerly worked with Bob Hess Jr. "Haynes said she was a runner, and he was right," Dollase said. "She's as impressive as any 2-year-old filly I've ever had, as far as natural speed is concerned." . . . Don't look now, but Kent Desormeaux was atop the jockey standings with 11 wins through Saturday.

Send e-mail to Ed Golden

The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/)