GOLDEN GLIMPSES #131

September 8, 1998

By ED GOLDEN

Terrorists are dead serious when it comes to plying their treacherous trade.

And when it comes to winning races, so are Richard Mandella and Bob Baffert, two internationally renowned horse trainers who have taken trips to far corners of the globe in search for gold and glory.

Their sojourns came before the tragic terrorist bombings in Kenya that killed some 200 people and prompted unprecedented retaliatory military action by President Clinton.

As far as being intimidated about taking future journeys, Osama bin Laden can kiss their Rambos before Mandella and Baffert will knuckle under to Osama and his ilk. Both Mandella and Baffert expressed fatalistic "What, Me Worry?" attitudes when asked if today’s no fear credo by terroristic zealots would prevent them from traveling for an important international race.

"It depends on how much money is on the line," Mandella joked. "I’ve been to Dubai (for the Dubai World Cup when Soul of the Matter finished second to Cigar in 1996), to Japan for the Japan Cup (second with Kotashaan in 1993), even to Rio de Janeiro once. We had nothing but a good time everytime.

"I wouldn’t be alarmed today, but perhaps I’m naive. I don’t know that I’m on top of everything as somebody else might be. But if I had a horse ready for such a race, I’d be excited to be going, no matter what. Everything’s always been great."

Baffert won the Dubai World Cup with Silver Charm last March 28. The trainer feels terrorism is just one of the side effects of a free society, which some might say is changing for the worse right before our eyes.

"Terrorism has always been going on," Baffert said. "Dubai? I’d go there in a minute. It was totally different there. If they’re putting $4 million up, I’ll take my chances. What the hell.

"I live in L.A., with its riots, drive-by shootings, road rage, car-jackings, mud slides, earthquakes and fires. You can’t worry about that stuff. When your number’s up, your number’s up.

"The only thing you can worry about is the guy next to you on the plane, and hope that his number isn’t up."

THE HOMESTRETCH: Mandella on what he will run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 7: "I’ve got nothing tied down for that yet. It’s a gray area and we’ll just have to keep our eyes open." On the dramatic nose finishes in the Travers and the Iselin Handicap: "They were great races, but it’s not fair to suggest that every important stakes race should be as exciting. That would just diminish them and they would become stagnant. You have to have ups and downs in this business, or else you wouldn’t realize the difference. Think about it. If every race was a great race, pretty soon it would become old hat and you wouldn’t think twice about it." On Del Mar’s much-maligned racing surface: "It’s been very good. There were problems the first week (seven fatalities the first nine days; there have been 10 deaths overall), but they’ve overcome it since then." . . . Baffert on his uncustomary reluctance to say where Silver Charm will run next: "The reason I don’t say where I’m going to run him is because I’m not sure myself, and if I say I think I’m going to run him at a certain track, then the track gets all excited and starts spending money to promote it. If I change my mind the last minute, then it’s not quite fair." On what ailed Silver Charm after running last as the 3-10 favorite in the San Diego Handicap: "I found out, but only I know, and that’s the way it’s gonna stay." Baffert says the 1997 Kentucky Derby winner will be racing "within 60 days." . . . In a surprise decision, trainer Shug McGaughey scrapped plans to run Coronado’s Quest in the Sept. 27 Super Derby and instead will tackle Skip Away, Free House and Gentlemen in the Sept. 19 Woodward Stakes. The colt’s new jockey could be Robbie Davis, because regular rider Mike Smith broke two vertebrae in his back in a dramatic, chain-reaction spill on Aug. 31, just two days after winning the Travers. He is expected to be out four months and will be in a body cast for two months. Said Smith, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Aug. 10, "One minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re on your back. I thank the Lord I didn’t sever my spinal cord." Smith, a fitness freak and a fast healer, would love to be back in time to ride Coronado’s Quest in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but that may asking too much. With Smith out of action for at least six weeks, his agent, Steve Adika, has worked out a deal to represent Del Mar riding champ Corey Nakatani full time in New York starting Friday when Belmont opens. "The timing is right for me to try New York," said Nakatani, who will be 28 on Oct. 21. "Belmont’s fall meet is a great one. Another reason to go is that my father-in-law (trainer Wally Dollase) is going to Belmont with a string of horses for The Thoroughbred Corp., including Sharp Cat and some other nice horses. I’m pretty excited." Meanwhile, jockey Edwin Cotto, who caused Smith’s spill, was handed a 30-day suspension by Saratoga stewards, a penalty reminiscent of Eddie Arcaro’s era . . . Gary Stevens had some cartilage cleaned up in his right knee on Sept. 2 and could be riding again in about two weeks. . . Dollase on how Sharp Cat rates against two other powerhouse females he trained, Jewel Princess and Windsharp: "She’s better than anything I’ve ever touched." . . . All in the family: Mike Pegram owns horses, including Real Quiet. Brother Jim Pegram is an agent for David Flores and he’s the father of Brad Pegram, who’s also an agent. Brad books business for veteran Danny Sorenson . . . Laffit Pincay Jr.’s victory on Lady Cadet gave him 890 lifetime wins at Del Mar to surpass Bill Shoemaker’s 889. Pincay has 8,634 all-time. He trails Shoe’s record 8,833 by 199 . . . Former jockey Alex Maese, 69, didn’t win this year’s Rocking Chair Derby at Del Mar but among his rooting section was Dr. Sammy Lee, 1948 and 1952 men’s Olympic platform diving champion, and the 1952 and 1956 women’s platform and springboard champion, Patricia McCormick . . . Back to basics: why doesn’t the National Thoroughbred Racing Association unify running times and exotic payoff denominations? It’s every track on its own with running times, some clocked in fifths of a second, others in 100ths. Some tracks show $1 exotic payoffs, others $2. Aren’t bettors confused enough? . . . Sudden thought: Baffert has seen two Triple Crowns and $10 million in bonus money vanish in the shadow of the wire the last two years, with Silver Charm and Real Quiet both getting beat in the Belmont after winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Ouch!

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