HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Sunday, June 18, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

EMERALD EXPRESS TO TACKLE
THE HEAVYWEIGHTS IN MILADY

Diane and Harold Keith's Emerald Express is a go for next Sunday's

$150,000-added Milady Handicap, trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis said Sunday.

The addition of Emerald Express makes four confirmed starters for the 44th

running of the Grade I event.

A homebred by Falstaff, Emerald Express has raced just three times and never

beyond 6 1/2 furlongs. She won two of the starts, however, including an 11-length romp in a non-winners of one allowance event on June 2.

Anticipating a light impost, Dupuis said apprentice Brice Blanc will have the

mount on Emerald Express. "I would expect 108, or maybe 109 pounds," Dupuis said.

Weights for the Milady are due Tuesday.

The expected high weight, two-time Milady Handicap winner Paseana, worked

six furlongs in 1:14 3/5 Sunday with regular rider Chris McCarron up.

Probables for the 44th running of the Milady Handicap, to be contested at

1 1/16 miles on the main track: Paseana, Chris McCarron; Pirate's Revenge, Chris Antley; Private Persuasion, no rider, and Emerald Express, Brice Blanc.

STEVENS PICKS UP MOUNT ON GOLD LAND

Gary Stevens will have the call on Prince Fahd Salman's Gold Land in

Saturday's $100,000 Triple Bend Handicap, trainer Neil Drysdale confirmed Sunday.

Eddie Delahoussaye, who has ridden Gold Land in all four of his North American

starts, will be at Golden Gate Fields Saturday to ride Namour Stable's Special Price in the $200,000 Golden Gate Handicap.

Gold Land, who has reeled off two snappy seven furlong allowance victories at

the meeting, will be making his first stakes start in this country.

In other Triple Bend developments:

Trainer Willard Proctor has named Pat Valenzuela to ride Glen Hill Farm's

multiple stakes winner Concept Win.

Trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis indicated Minjinsky was probable with Kent

Desormeaux to ride. Minjinsky finished second to Memo in last year's running.

Probables for the 44th running of the Triple Bend Handicap, to be

contested at seven furlongs on the main track: Argolid, no rider; Concept Win, Pat Valenzuela; G Mealleah, no rider; Gold Land, Gary Stevens; Lucky Forever, G. F. Almeida; Minjinsky, Kent Desormeaux, and Powis Castle, no rider.

CARDMANIA SHELVED WITH FOOT AILMENT

Jean Couvercelle's Cardmania has heat in his left front foot and might be forced

to sit out the Triple Bend Handicap, trainer Derek Meredith said.

"We're still trying to determine what's causing the heat," Meredith said. "We hope

to find out where we stand within the next couple of days. If we can find out what the problem is, and get it corrected, he still might run (in the Triple Bend)."

Although he's winless in nine starts since his victory in the 1993 Breeders' Cup

Sprint, 9-year-old Cardmania has remained competitive with the circuit's top sprinters. In his most recent start, he finished third to Forest Gazelle in the Grade III Los Angeles Handicap April 28.

SHULMAN HOPES TO BAG A BREEDERS' CUP

Ron Charles and Clear Valley Stable's Abaginone enhanced his reputation as

one of the region's fastest sprinters with a 5-length victory in a $51,000 allowance race Saturday. The son of Devil's Bag ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14 4/5 under Gary Stevens -- setting splits of :21 2/5, :44 and 1:08 2/5 en route to the triumph.

That makes four wins in five starts for Abaginone and trainer Sandy Shulman

said perhaps it's time to begin considering loftier goals for the speedster. After all, the times of his victories -- 1:09 2/5, 1:16, 1:14 3/5 and 1:14 4/5 -- would be competitive with any sprinter.

To date, however, Shulman has resisted temptation and patiently run Abaginone

through his conditions. The colt, of course, has a well-documented shin problem that necessitates ample time between races.

"I don't know that I've ever had a horse this fast or this good," Shulman said. "We

hope to end up in New York in October with him."

That would be to run in the $1-million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 28 at

Belmont Park.

"I know it's a cliche, but with this horse we really do take it one day at a time,"

Shulman said. "He came out of Saturday's race great, knock on wood, and his next start might be in the Pat O'Brien at Del Mar."

The $100,000 Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap is a Grade III event at seven

furlongs on Aug. 19.

Meanwhile, Shulman can savor Abaginone's ledger -- 5-4-0-1-$97,593 -- and

Saturday night's scorching triumph which resulted in a minus pool of $3,700.

"(Hollywood Park Chairman) R. D. Hubbard, the great sportsman that he is, I'm

sure he felt the minus pool was well worth it," Shulman said. "Anytime you've got a horse who's that fast running at your track, you don't mind a little minus pool."

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Nick Hines doesn't need to be reminded how long it's been since his last victory.

"May 22, 1994, with Chief Brody," the 24-year-old trainer said.

So it stood to reason that Hines was a bit excited when Comeback Kidder

cruised to the eighth-pole with a three-length lead in Friday's nghtcap.

"I know it was just a $10,000 claimer for Cal-breds, but I don't care," Hines said.

"It was the first time in a long time I'd had that feeling. I really thought he was going to win."

Alas, it wasn't to be. Point Position, receiving a well-judged ride from Laffit

Pincay Jr., was along in time to nail Comeback Kidder and Corey Black at the wire, and effectively ruin the party for Hines.

"The horse ran great, Corey rode a great race . . . we just got beat," Hines said.

"It's unbelievable. We've lost four photos and had 10 seconds, but our day will come. I'm confident of that."

FINISH LINES: Robert and Beverly Lewis' Cyrano Storme, who finished with a

rush to capture the Jack Disney Stakes on June 1, worked five furlongs in 1:01, handily, Sunday in preparation for Friday's Bedside Promise Stakes on the turf . . . Congratulations to jockey Fernando Valenzuela, who celebrated his 26th birthday Sunday . . . Soviet Problem emerged from her victory in Saturday's Valkyr Handicap in good order and was scheduled to van back to trainer Greg Gilchrist's headquarters at Golden Gate Fields Sunday . . .Trainer William Stepp celebrated his 47th birthday Saturday. Incidentally, Stepp posted his first victory of the meeting Friday when he saddled Coaches Bet ($8.20) to victory in the fourth race . . . Brazilian-bred Romarin is being considered for the $150,000-added American Handicap on July 4, trainer Richard Mandella said . . . Laffit Pincay Jr.'s victory aboard Geri ($4) in Saturday's fifth race was win No. 8,295 in his career. Pincay needed 539 victories to tie Bill Shoemaker's all-time mark of 8,833. Coincdentally, Geri is trained by Shoemaker . . . Chris McCarron's triumph on Soviet Problem ($2.80) in the Valkyr Handicap was his 199th stakes victory at Hollywood Park.

Gary Stevens enjoyed Saturday's 14-race program as he won four races on the

card, including allowance events on Luthier Fever ($9.20) and Abaginone ($2.60). Incidentally, Stevens will be at Atlantic City next Sunday to ride Ron Crockett's Vaudeville for trainer Fordell Fierce in the $500,000 Caesars International Handicap . . . Luthier Fever accomplished the near-impossible Saturday, defeating Staight To Bed in a $55,000 allowance event at 1 1/16 miles. Straight To Bed had won four straight and six of eight. "I was surprised (Luthier Fever) got out to such an easy lead," said trainer Gary Jones, who saddled the winner for owner Cuadra TYT Inc. "He's a good enough horse that, under those conditions, no one's going to beat him." . . . Congratulations to trainer Warren Stute, who saddled two winners Friday night and the one-two finishers, Don's Memory and Jake O, for a $300.40 exacta in the sixth race . . . Everest Stable's Petionville, winner of Saturday's Ohio Derby, will now be pointed to the $500,000 Swaps Stakes (Gr. II) at Hollywood Park on July 23, trainer Randy Bradshaw said . . . Jockey Matt Garcia has been suspended five days (June 21 through 25) "for causing interference around the far turn" on Shaker in Friday's sixth race . . . Numerous, the 1994 Derby Trial winner formerly trained by Charlie Whittingham, is preparing for a Churchill Downs campaign under his new conditioner, Alex Hassinger Jr., who was formerly based in Southern California.

Go To Main Menu