FRANKEL HAS SPECIAL INTEREST IN MATRIARCH
Even though Possibly Perfect won't run in Sunday's $700,000 Matriarch, trainer
Bobby Frankel could help his prized pupil capture the 1995 Eclipse Award for Grass
Filly or Mare.
Frankel will saddle three runners in the Grade I event -- Angel In My Heart, Sleep Easy and Wandesta -- and if any of them prevail, it could lock up the Eclipse Award for Possibly Perfect. The latter mare, who had been pointed to the Matriarch, was retired last week with a tendon injury.
Frankel said regardless of what happens in the Matriarch, Possibly Perfect has the credentials to win the award: five wins in six starts, three Grade I victories and $743,100 in purses.
Still, if Alpride wins Sunday, that would give her three Grade I victories this year. And Eclipse voters -- who could take a "what have you done for me lately" approach -- might be swayed into her corner. Or perhaps they'll vote for East/Midwest sensation Perfect Arc.
Frankel said any such talk is nonsense.
"If you look at their records, Perfect Arc has only won one Grade I and she's never beat the quality fillies," Frankel said. "And Alpride, Possibly Perfect's beaten her two out of three times, and she was giving her weight. The only time (Possibly Perfect) did get beat by Alpride, she was giving her nine pounds, plus she had a bad foot that day.
"I think if people know what they're doing, Possibly Perfect will get the award," he said. "If she doesn't get it, I think the voting's a farce because it's very obvious she's the best."
Frankel was asked to assess the chances of his three fillies in the Matriarch -- the Juddmonte Farms' entry of Wandesta and Sleep Easy, and Stavros Niarchos' Angel In My Heart. The latter was transferred to Frankel following her runner-up effort to Alrpide in the $600,00 Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Gr. I) two weeks ago.
"Wandesta I'm hoping will move up off her last race," Frankel said. "She breezed this morning with Angel In My Heart and is doing well. She lays mid-pack and I'm hoping for her to finish good.
"Angel In My Heart, I think she'll lay mid-pack too. She ran great the other day. I just hope I don't mess her up for (former trainer) John Hammond. But she acts like she's doing great. She's just a very easy filly to get along with and she does everything you want.
"Sleep Easy, I think she loves the firm going and that's why I'm trying her. She should be laying up real close to the pace . . . maybe even on the lead."
MATRIARCH RUNNERS LOG FINAL DRILLS
Several horses blew out for the Matriarch Thursday morning:
Angel In My Heart (:36 2/5, handily) and Wandesta (:36 2/5, handily) both worked three furlongs on a fast main track for trainer Bobby Frankel.
Morgana (:50 3/5, handily), Bail Out Becky (:50, handily), and Duda (:49 3/5, handily) all worked four furlongs on a firm turf course (dogs up).
And Matiara and Balanka arrived from France Wednesday night and both are stabled in Hollywood's quarantine facility and are scheduled to be released Friday.
Probables for the 15th running of The Matriarch: Alpride, Chris McCarron; Angel In My Heart, Cash Asmussen; Bail Out Becky, Shane Sellers; Balanka, Gerald Mosse; Caress, Robbie Davis; Duda, Jerry Bailey; Flagbird, Eddie Delahoussaye; Matiara, Freddie Head; Morgana, Gary Stevens; Sleep Easy, Kent Desormeaux; Wandesta, Corey Nakatani; Windsharp (s), G. F. Almeida; Bold Ruritana (s), Todd Kabel, and Jo Knows, Alex Solis.
Possible: Aube Indienne, no rider.
PERFECT WEATHER FORECAST FOR TURF FESTIVAL
It appears weather will not be an issue during Hollywood's Turf Festival.
Temperatures are expected to be in the 70 to 80 degree range throughout the weekend,
with clear skies forecast each day.
DA HOSS ALIVE AND WELL, BLOWS OUT FOR HOLLYWOOD DERBY
Contrary to reports earlier in the week, Da Hoss is alive and well, and literally
jumping out of his skin while waiting for Sunday's $400,000 Crown Royal Hollywood
Derby.
Joan Wakefield, assistant to Michael Dickinson, acknowledged that reports of lameness earlier this week were accurate, but might have been exaggerated.
"(Da Hoss) flew in from Maryland last Saturday, jogged on Sunday and galloped on Monday," Wakefield said. "(Monday) night he was a little bit off on his left rear foot. We were a little bit concerned, but mainly because he's such a nice horse and you want everything to be perfect.
"But when we galloped him Wednesday, he was fine. My guess is that he probably just stepped on something. He's full of himself now, he can't wait to run."
Da Hoss, who figures to be one of the favorites in the 1 1/8-mile Derby, blew out three furlongs in :35 3/5 on a firm turf course Thursday. Not bad, Wakefield pointed out, for a horse who just two days ago was rumored to be anywhere from lame to dead.
In other Derby developments, Virginia Carnival drilled five furlongs in 1:02 2/5 on a firm turf course for trainer Jack Van Berg, and Shemaran went a half mile in :49 for Rodney Rash. Longliner breezed four furlongs in :48 at Santa Anita Park.
Probables for the 55th Hollywood Derby: Da Hoss, Corey Nakatani; Green
Means Go, Jerry Bailey; Hawk Attack, Kent Desormeaux; Helmsman, Chris
McCarron; Lake George, Corey Black; Longliner, Chris Antley; Mr Purple, no
rider; Perfect, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Petit Poucet, Cash Asmussen; Tabor, Gary
Stevens; Via Lombardia, Eddie Delahoussaye; Our Gatsby (s), Willie Martinez;
Shemaran (s), Pat Valenzuela, and Virginia Carnival (s), Alex Solis.
Possible: Labeeb, Freddie Head.
TURF TRIVIA . . .
While at Hollywood Park, Da Hoss is stabled next door to Pembroke at the Gary
Jones barn. Both horses are by Gone West and both own world records. Can you name
the records?
P. VAL AND INGORDO A TEAM ONCE AGAIN
Agent Jerry Ingordo and jockey Pat Valenzuela, who parted company in 1989,
are back together again.
Valenzuela telephoned Ingordo Friday morning in the racing office to ask if the veteran agent was interested in again booking his mounts.
"Patrick said he thought we should get back together again," Ingordo said. "And I guess I still have a soft spot for him. I mean, we were together from the time he had his bug in 1978 all the way through 1989. It was hard for me to say no."
Valenzuela was scheduled to return to action Thursday following a four-month absence. The 33-year-old jockey has won 2,896 races and over $92 million in purses, most of those totals with Ingordo calling the shots.
"I don't know if it will be like old times, but I certainly hope so," Ingordo said. "But I can tell you this, I've only had his book for a half-hour and I've already got a lot of business."
ESPN TO TELECAST MATRIARCH & DERBY
ESPN will telecast Sunday's $700,000 Matriarch and $400,000 Crown Royal
Hollywood Derby in a one-hour show that airs from 3 to 4 p.m. (PST).
The Matriarch will be the sixth race on the program, post time 3:12 p.m.
The Derby goes as race seven, post time 3:42 p.m.
TRIVIA ANSWER
Pembroke holds the world record for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, 1:00 2/5, and
Da Hoss has the world record for six furlongs by a 2-year-old, 1:07 1/5.
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/alauck)