HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Wednesay, May 24, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

EARL OF BARKING TO RUN IN HOLLYWOOD TURF HANDICAP

Earl of Barking, a triple stakes winner over the local turf course, has been added to the lineup for Monday's $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap at 1 1/4 miles.

The addition of Earl of Barking and the deletion of Best Pal and Saltgrass computes to a field of nine probables for the 27th running of the Grade I event.

A winner of eight of 24 starts and $740,205, Earl of Barking had been under consideration for four stakes races -- the Turf Handicap, the $150,000-added Shoemaker Handicap (Gr. II) June 10, the $150,000-added American Handicap (Gr. II) July 4 and the $500,000-guaranteed Caesars International Handicap (Gr. I) at Atlantic City June 25.

"The horse is doing very, very well, he loves this course and he's had three weeks since his last race. So why not run?" trainer Richard J. Cross said. "The race is very tough, of course, but all Grade I races are tough."

Cross said his biggest concern is whether Earl of Barking can get the 1 1/4-mile distance.

"The only time he tried the distance was in Chicago, and it wasn't a true test," Cross said. "The turf was incredibly soft and he simply coudn't get a hold of it. "

G. F. Almeida, who worked Earl of Barking six furlongs in 1:17 2/5 on the main track Tuesday, will have the mount in the Turf Handicap.

In other Turf Handicap developments:

Hector Palma, trainer of Blaze O'Brien, planned to meet with owners Barry and Susan Isaacs Wednesday evening and decide whether to run the Inglewood Handicap winner in the Turf Handicap. Palma said if the 8-year-old gelding doesn't run Monday, he'll probably run in the $150,000-added Shoemaker Handicap (Gr. II) June 10.

Trainer Sam Aldabbagh said he's considering three riders -- Sal Gonzalez Jr., Felipe Martinez and John Atherton -- for the mount on Cocooning.

And trainer Rodney Rash said Robert E. Hibbert's Saltgrass will pass on the Turf Handicap and is a possible starter in the Shoemaker.

Probables for the Hollywood Turf Handicap: Sand Pit, Corey Nakatani, 122; Celtic Arms, Eddie Delahoussaye, 120; Vaudeville, Gary Stevens, 119; Del Mar Dennis, Chris Antley, 118; Savinio, Chris McCarron, 117; Earl of Barking, G. F. Almeida, 115; Wandesta, Pat Day, 114; Cocooning, no rider, 113, and Talloires, Kent Desormeaux, 113.

Possible: Blaze O'Brien, Corey Black, 116.

SANDPIT, DEL MAR DENNIS PREP FOR TURF HANDICAP

Sierra Thoroughbreds' Sandpit, 122-pound highweight for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap on Memorial Day, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on Hollywood Park's fast main track Wednesday morning under exercise rider Crystal Brown.

"It was just an easy five-eighths," trainer Richard Mandella said of the Brazilian-bred 6-year-old's final prep for the Grade I classic to be decided at 1 1/4 miles. "He went real nice."

Trainer Paco Gonzalez was well-pleased with the final drill for Del Mar Dennis, who was clocked in a bullet :59 2/5 under exercise rider Sal Gonzalez Sr. It was the fastest of 52 clockings at that distance.

""I got him in fractions of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :36 1/5 and :48," Gonzalez said. "He finished real strong."

Bobby Frankel sent Juddmonte Farms' Wandesta six furlongs in 1:12 4/5. Wandesta will attempt to become only the second distaffer to win the Turf Handicap. Typecast won in 1972 and Dahlia won in 1976.

Mandella announced earlier that Golden Eagle Farm's Best Pal will pass the Turf Handicap and instead point to the $250,000-added Californian (Gr. I) on June 11.

"It wasn't that I didn't like his grass work," Mandella said of Best Pal, "it's just that it wasn't as impressive as his dirt works. He looked all right on the turf, but not like he does on the dirt. So we took that as a sign to keep him on the dirt for now."

Mandella added that the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 2 would still be on Best Pal's schedule, should all go well through The Californian.

WORLD RECORD-HOLDER TO TRY LUCK IN HAWTHORNE HANDICAP

Last week it was Lucky Forever's turn for glory. The 6-year-old gelding set a world record of 1:13 1/5 for 6 1/2 furlongs while capturing the $75,000-added Rich Cream Stakes.

This week another world record-holder surfaces at Hollywood Park. Tocopilla, a 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare, will contest Sunday's $100,000-added Hawthorne Handicap (Gr. II) for fillies and mares. Trainer Gedaliah Goodman, best known in these parts as the trainer of the good grass horse Santangelo in the late 1980s, has accompanied Tocopilla from Florida for the Hawthorne.

A daughter of El Basco, Tocopilla has won seven of 18 starts and $209,207 in purses. In her final start in Argentina, the Grade II Clasico Juan-Shaw at San Isidro on Feb. 18, she set a world record for 1 3/8 miles on turf, covering the 11 furlongs in 2:10.

It was after that race that La Pomme Farm (Samuel and William Liberman) sold a 50 percent interest in the mare to Brad Neufeld of Los Angeles. Following a ninth-place finish against the boys in the Grade II Pan American Handicap at Gulfstream Park on March 16, Goodman shipped Tocopilla to Southern California.

In the Hawthorne, Tocopilla will face another Argentine-bred, two-time Eclipse Award winner Paseana, the 122-pound high weight, and will run on dirt.

"Paseana's a tough horse to face in our first start, but that's the way the race came up," said Goodman, who has a string of five runners at Hollywood. "Tocopilla has trained well, though, she's a very good horse. How good? We'll know a lot more after this race."

Probables for the 22nd running of the Hawthorne Handicap, a Grade II event to be decided at 1 1/16 miles on the main track: Paseana, Chris McCarron, 122; Pirate's Revenge, Chris Antley, 117; Angi Go, Gary Stevens, 117; Top Rung, Eddie Delahoussaye, 117; Borodislew, Corey Nakatani, 115, and Tocopilla, G. F. Almedia, 113.

DESORMEAUX TO RIDE TEXINADRESS IN RAILBIRD STAKES

Kent Desormeaux has secured the mount on Mike Pegram's Texinadress in Saturday's $100,000-added Railbird Stakes (Gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies, agent Gene Short said.

A Florida-bred daughter of Copelan, Texinadress has started seven times, with two firsts, two seconds and $64,200 in earnings. In her most recent start, the Grade III Senorita Breeders' Cup Stakes (Gr. III) April 30, Texinadress finished seventh, beaten 20 lengths by Top Shape. That race, however, marked her first start on turf and trainer Bob Baffert will wheel her back to the main track for the seven-furlong Railbird.

Trainer Riley Griffiths, meanwhile, said Embroidered, who would have been one of the favorites in the Railbird, will miss the race due to a bruised foot.

"She missed five days of training and I just wouldn't feel comfortable running her," Griffiths said. "She's been too good to us. It's a long year."

Probables for the 33rd running of the Railbird Stakes: Comstock Queen, no rider; Made To Perefction, Alex Solis; Predicted Glory, Fernando Valenzuela; Sleep Easy, Corey Nakatani, and Texinadress, Kent Desormeaux.

RAILBIRD STAKES TO BE TELEVISED BY ESPN2

Saturday's $100,000-added Railbird Stakes for 3-year-old fillies will be telecast live by ESPN2. Scheduled post time for the Grade II race is 2:40 p.m.

MANDELLA HOPES TO RACE AFTERNOON DEELITES AGAIN

Trainer Richard Mandella is keeping his options open with Afternoon Deelites.

The 3-year-old West Virginia-bred colt, who suffered a minor injury to his left front tendon in the Kentucky Derby on May 6, was scheduled to undergo surgery at Hollywood Park on Wednesday, after which Mandella hoped to have Burt Bacharach's colt racing again, perhaps in seven months.

If the recovery is not to his satisfaction, Mandella said there would still be time to have the son of Private Terms serve as a stallion next season.

Excerpts from a letter dated May 22 faxed to Kentucky Governor Brereton C. Jones, who heads a group of Afternoon Deelites' shareholders, read as follows:

". . . After observing the problem for the past two weeks, my veterinarian, Dr. Rick Arthur, and myself, who have worked together for the past 19 years, feel the problem is slight in nature and the horse has a very good chance to come back to his full potential.

"We plan to do the tendon splitting procedure that we have had much success with, and rest him until the first week of October. He should be fit and ready for racing approximately the first week of January.

"Any sign that would show us that he is not coming back as good as ever would mean retirement to stud duty at Airdrie Stud (in Midway, Ky.).

"As horsemen, you all know this plan may or may not work. My best advice is to plan your mare bookings to him in 1996, and we will keep you advised of his status as the year ends.

"I truly believe that Afternoon Deelites is one of the most gifted horses that any of us has ever seen, and feel he deserves the chance to show more."

It was signed, "Sincerely, Richard E. Mandella."

In seven career starts, Afternoon Deelites had five wins and one second, with earnings of $668,125. His stakes victories came in the Hollywood Prevue, the Hollywood Futurity, the San Vicente Stakes and the San Felipe Stakes.

Mandella said the tendon-splitting procedure was a simple one, and that the colt would not have to be anaesthetized for it.

"My concern is for the shareholders with breeding rights," Mandella said. "I'm advising them not to plan their mares to breed to him next season. They should plan for him to go to stud, but hopefully, in January, I can call them and say, Go find a new stud. I've got a race horse.'"

Mandella said Afternoon Deelites would remain at Hollywood Park for the present, and be walked twice a day following the operation.

HOLY COW! DAUGHTER OF HOLY BULL NEEDS NEW NAME

An unraced half-sister to 1994 Horse of the Year Holy Bull had been scheduled to make her first start at Hollywood Park soon with the likely name of Holy Cow, but those plans have gone out the window, according to her trainer, Bob Marshall.

"When we bought her at the Barretts sale, she was named Phil's Holy Cow," Marshall explained. "But we switched it to Holy Cow and even worked her here at Hollywood under that name.

"But the Jockey Club told us there already was a horse by the name of Holy Cow, so we changed the name to Ed's Holy Cow, after her owner, Ed Corey of Arizona. Our second choice was Holy Toledo, because Ed was born in Toledo, Ohio."

Marshall said Ed's Holy Cow, a $60,000 purchase, should make her debut at Hollywood Park shortly.

"The funny thing is," Marshall said, "is that the horse already named Holy Cow is a 1991 foal, and he's a colt."

FINISH LINES: Hollywood Park will present simulcasts of the $150,000-guaranteed Peter Pan Stakes (Gr. II) from Belmont Park on Sunday, and the $500,000-guaranteed Metropolitan Handicap (Gr. I) on Monday, Memorial Day. Richard Mandella said Romarin worked five furlongs in :59 3/5 at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning and was scheduled to fly to New York Thursday for the Metropolitan Handicap on Memorial Day. Mike Smith has the mount . . . Agent Harry (The Hat) Hacek was a backstretch visitor Wednesday morning. The former agent for Alex Solis presently is on a vacation for health reasons, but said he "feels terrific" since splitting with Solis near the end of the Santa Anita meet. "And I've gained 10 pounds," said Hacek, who added he had no date in mind for his return. Solis, whose book is now handled by Scotty McClellan, will ride Los Angeles Handicap winner Forest Gazelle for Bobby Frankel in the $100,000 Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Memorial Day . . . Rodney Rash reports Santa Anita Handicap winner Urgent Request is recovering well from a minor cough and is being pointed to the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 2 . . . Gary Jones said Ferrara came out of his runner-up finish to Tossofthecoin in Sunday's Mervyn LeRoy Handicap with a "little bit of a crack in his hind leg. I don't know how much time he'll need (to recover)." Auriette, impressive winner of Saturday's Honeymoon Handicap, probably will make her next start in the $100,000-guaranteed Pucker Up Stakes (Gr. III, 1 1/8 miles on the turf) at Arlington International Racecourse on July 1, Jones added. Jones was happy to have Mike Rutherford's Lakeway back in his barn after several months off recovering from lung problems. "She came back Monday," Jones said of the multiple graded stakes-winning filly. "She had her first gallop here today (Wednesday), but she's been galloping for four months at Aiken, S.C." . . . Guadalcanal, trained by Bob Hess Jr., and Petionville, trained by Randy Bradshaw, are among the 47 nominees to the $300,000-guaranteed Ohio Derby at Thistledown June 17 . . . Trainer Kathy Walsh saddled her third winner in as many days Sunday, Lordlet ($21.80) in the third race. Corey Black was up for all three wins.