FONDLY REMEMBERED AND WENDE PROBABLE FOR SUNDAY'S GAMELY
The probable field for Sunday's $150,000-added Gamely Handicap has increased
to seven with the addition of Fondly Remembered and Wende.
Fondly Remembered, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Skywalker, has won five of
27 starts for $339,310, and Wende, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred by Herat, has won four
of 23 starts and $199,234. Fondly Remembered will be ridden by Alex Solis and
Wende will have the services of leading rider Corey Nakatani.
Fondly Remembered, winner of a $60,000 allowance at 1 1/4 miles on turf last
Saturday, has been competitive in graded stakes including a runner-up effort to Aube
Indienne in the Grade I Yellow Ribbon at Oak Tree last November.
"My policy is usually not to run a horse who can't win -- and Possibly Perfect looks
unbeatable. But what if she scratches?" trainer Barry Abrams said. "And I can afford
running for second or third because we didn't pay a lot for her."
Wende, whose last race was a fifth in the Grade II Louisville Budweiser Breeders'
Cup at Churchill Downs on May 5, worked four furlongs in :48 2/5 on the turf (firm/dogs
up) Thursday. Exercise rider Humberto Monroy was up for trainer John Sadler.
Also Thursday, Aube Indienne breezed three furlongs in :36 1/5 and Lady
Affirmed breezed three furlongs in :36.
Probables for the 29th Gamely Handicap, to be decided at 1 1/8 miles on turf:
Possibly Perfect, Kent Desormeaux, 123; Aube Indienne, Chris McCarron, 118;
Morgana, Eddie Delahoussaye, 116; Fondly Remembered, Alex Solis, 114; Lady
Affirmed, Gary Stevens, 114; Wende, Corey Nakatani, 113, and Don't Read My Lips,
Fernando Valenzuela, 111.
Possible: Cabo Queen, no rider, 110.
BEST PAL ON SCHEDULE FOR THE CALIFORNIAN
Trainer Richard Mandella Thursday morning pronounced Best Pal on target for
The Californian on Sunday, June 11.
The Golden Eagle Farm gelding, Thoroughbred racing's leading active money
winner with $5,538,145, is one of 12 horses nominated to the Grade I event to be
decided at 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
Robert Meyerhoff's 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Concern also has been
nominated by trainer Richard Small.
Two candidates for The Californian, 1994 Pacific Classic winner Tinners Way and
San Jacinto Handicap upsetter Let's Be Curious, worked Thursday morning.
Tinners Way went six furlongs on Hollywood Park's fast main track in 1:13 4/5 for
Bobby Frankel, while Let's Be Curious went a mile on Santa Anita's fast main track in
1:41 1/5 for trainer Bob Baffert.
Confirmed for The Californian: Best Pal, Chris McCarron; Let's Be Curious,
Kent Desormeaux; Tinners Way, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Mervyn LeRoy
Handicap winner Tossofthecoin, Corey Nakatani
.
BLAZE O'BRIEN SET FOR SHOEMAKER HANDICAP
Susan Isaacs, who owns the 8-year-old Inglewood Handicap winner Blaze O'Brien
along with her husband, Barry, said the California-bred is set for the $150,000-added
Shoemaker Handicap on Saturday, June 10.
Corey Black has the mount in the Grade II event to be decided at one mile on the
turf. Confirmed starters at this early point include
Blaze O'Brien, Black;
Bon Point, Eddie Delahoussaye; Eagle Eyed, Corey Nakatani; Journalism, no rider, and
Unfinished Symph, Chris Antley.
LOCAL RIDERS OUT OF TOWN ON BELMONT DAY
Chris McCarron and Gary Stevens will be at Belmont Park next Saturday for
engagements in the $500,000-added Belmont Stakes, which will be simulcast at
Hollywood Park.
McCarron rides Knockadoon in the final leg of the Triple Crown, while Stevens
handles Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch in the 1 1/2-mile classic.
Agent Scott McClellan said McCarron will use Friday, June 9, as a travel day.
McCarron also rides Blues Traveller Saturday for Rodney Rash in the $200,000-guaranteed Early Times Manhattan Classic (Gr. I) at 1 1/4 miles on the turf.
Stevens rides Serena's Song in the $200,000-guaranteed Mother Goose Stakes
(Gr. I) at Belmont Park on Friday. He also rides another D. Wayne Lukas-trainee, Lord
Carson, in the $100,000-added Riva Ridge Stakes (Gr. III) the same day.
The 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose Stakes will also attract Ridder Thoroughbred
Stable's Cat's Cradle, to be ridden by Chris Antley for trainer David Hofmans.
Rash said Blues Traveller would run in New York "only of the course is firm. If not,
he could go in the Caesars International (June 25 at Atlantic City Race Course)."
URGENT REQUEST DRILLS FIVE PANELS ON ROAD TO GOLD CUP
Stewart Aitken's Santa Anita Handicap winner Urgent Request worked five
furlongs in :59 3/5, handily, with Felipe Herrera up Thursday, and remains on course for
the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 2.
A 5-year-old Irish-bred by Rainbow Quest, Urgent Request hasn't raced since
finishing sixth in a field of seven in the Grade I Oaklawn Handicap April 15.
Trainer Rodney Rash said Urgent Request had a slight cough about a month ago,
but said the horse is in good health and should be able to make the Gold Cup -- the
meet's richest race -- on works alone.
CAT'S CRADLE FARING WELL AT BELMONT PARK
Ridder Thoroughbred Stable's Cat's Cradle continues to gear up for her
showdown with Serena's Song in the the $200,000-guaranteed Mother Goose Stakes at
Belmont Park June 9. The 3-year-old Cal-bred daughter of Flying Paster worked seven
furlongs in 1:27 2/5 at the New York track Wednesday, galloping out the mile in 1:40.
Darla Elliott was up for trainer David Hofmans, who flew in from California to supervise
the work.
"Everything went well," Hofmans said. "She's coming up to the race nicely."
Apparently the only thing Hofmans doesn't like is that Serena's Song will also run in the
Grade I event at 1 1/8 miles. "I hate it, but I can't do anything about that," he said.
MANDELLA MAPS PLANS FOR SANDPIT, ROMARIN
Sandpit, runner-up to Earl of Barking in Monday's $500,000 Hollywood Turf
Handicap, could head to the New Jersey shore for his next start, while Romarin, who
faded out of the money after engaging ultimate winner You And I in a rapid pace duel in
the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park the same day, may return to the grass.
"Romarin's home, he looks fine," trainer Richard Mandella said Thursday morning.
"It's possible that he could run in the American Handicap on July 4. It depends on how
well he does from now till then. Sandpit's next likely race will be the Caesars
International in Atlantic City (June 25), or the American, depending on how well he
comes out of this and goes on. "But they both look fine and those (races) look possible."
The Caesars is a $500,000-guaranteed, Grade I event at 1 3/16 miles on the turf.
The $150,000-added American Handicap is a Grade II race at 1 1/8 miles on Hollywood
Park's turf course on Tuesday, July 4.
Megan's Interco is scheduled to have his first workout next week since racing in Hong Kong last
December. "I had him ready (to come back) sooner," Sahadi said, "But he got a real high blood count at
Santa Anita and that set us back again. But he's fine now." Sahadi plans to work cantankerous sprint star
Lit De Justice on the turf Friday, but has no plans for his next race. "We've been schooling him in the gate
and I just want to get him squared away mentally first before we go on." . . . Randy
Bradshaw said the
Belmont Stakes is now being considered for Louisiana Derby winner Petionville. "I think that's what Jeff
(Jeff Nielsen, owner of Everest Stables) is looking at," Bradshaw said, "but the Ohio Derby and even
the Harry Henson Stakes are possibilities." The Belmont is June 10; the $300,000-guaranteed Ohio Derby
at Thistledown is June 17, and the $100,000-added Harry Henson at 7 1/2 furlongs will be run at
Hollywood Park, also on June 10 . . . Confirmed starters for the Harry Henson Stakes are Capote's
Promise, Kent Desormeaux; Mr Purple, Corey Nakatani, and Houston Sunrise, no rider . . .
Congratulations to Associate Director of Publicity Jack Disney and Clerk of the Course Gina
Sherman, who both celebrated birthdays
Thursday . . . On Target (:47 4/5) and Via Lombardia (:48 4/5) worked four furlongs on a fast main track
Thursday in preparation for Saturday's $100,000-added Cinema Handicap (Gr. III) . . . Richard
Mandella-trained Fit To Lead is entered in Saturday's $150,000-added Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill
Downs. A 5-year-old daughter of Fit To Fight, Fit To Lead has won six of 22 starts and $474,915 for
owners Jim Colbert, R. D. Hubbard and Connie Sczesny . . . Trudy
McCaffery and John
Toffan's Gastown, easy winner of Wednesday's $40,000-allowance feature for California-breds, is being
pointed to the $85,000-added Khaled Handicap on July 23, trainer Paco
Gonzalez said. The Khaled, 1 1/16 miles on turf, is one of three stakes for Cal-breds offered on July 23, the same day as the $500,000
Swaps Stakes.