SHREWD IDEA DUE TO ARRIVE FOR HOLLYWOOD TURF CUP
Shrewd Idea, runner-up to Sunshack in the Group 1 Prix Royal Oak Oct. 22 at
Longchamp, France, has been purchased by Gary and Mary West and is scheduled to
arrive here in time for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (Gr. I) on Dec. 10, trainer
Randy Bradshaw said.
A 5-year-old by Alleged, Shrewd Idea is a Group 2 winner who has campaigned throughout Europe -- he's raced in Ireland, Germany, England, France and Spain. In the 1 15/16-mile Prix Royal, Shrewd Idea was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Sunshack, who set a course record of 3:16 2/5.
"I've never seen him, but he's supposedly a medium-sized horse and, obviously, distance appears to be his game," Bradshaw said of Shrewd Vixen.
According to Timeform, Shrewd Idea is a, "Very useful performer, and a stayer who acts on any going."
Bradshaw said bloodstock agent Hubert Guy negotiated the deal for Shrewd Idea, and added the horse is scheduled to arrive from France on Monday.
Early probables for the Hollywood Turf Cup, to be decided at 1 1/2 miles on turf: Earl Of Barking, G. F. Almeida; Hollywood Dream, John Reid; Northern Spur, Chris McCarron; Parme, no rider; Party Season, no rider; Patio de Naranjos, no rider; Privity, no rider; Royal Chariot, no rider; Shrewd Idea, no rider; Suave Tern, no rider; Talloires, Kent Desormeaux, and Tikkanen, no rider.
Possible: Hidden Source, no rider; The Key Rainbow, no rider.
CYRANO STORME MIGHT RETURN FOR NEXT SATURDAY'S UNDERWOOD
Cyrano Storme, who rallied from last to defeat Lakota Brave and Pembroke in
the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Express (Gr. II) on Nov. 24, might switch to dirt for next
Saturday's $100,000-added Vernon O. Underwood Breeders' Cup Stakes (Gr. III) at six
furlongs.
Cyrano Storme (27-5-8-4-$356,645) has raced just three times on dirt, with only a third in the $61,000 Crazy Kid Handicap at Del Mar to show for his efforts. Trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis, however, said the Irish-bred gelding remains sharp, can handle the main track and will run under two conditions: if the field is small, and if Lit De Justice doesn't run.
"He has no speed at all," Dupuis said of Cyrano Storme. "If it's a small field, we can run from behind and maybe get a good trip. But if Lit De Justice runs, I don't think we will run. He's the one horse I don't think we can beat."
Lit De Justice, third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, remains in training at Santa Anita, but Jenine Sahadi said she hasn't made a decision on whether to run the 5-year-old gray in the Underwood.
"I'm undecided at this point," she said. "I'm looking at all the options. My main concern with the horse is that he's already shipped twice this fall and I want to be sure he can handle another race."
Confirmed for the 15th running of the Vernon O. Underwood Breeders' Cup Stakes: Cyrano Storme, Rene Douglas; Forest Gazelle, Kent Desormeaux; Gundaghia, David Flores; Lucky Forever, G. F. Almeida, and Plenty Zloty, Eddie Delahoussaye.
Possible: Wild Gold, Russell Baze, and Lit De Justice, Corey Nakatani.
FROM THE ASYLUM TO THE WINNER'S CIRCLE
Trainer Ian Jory remembers the first time he sent Flying Marfa to the track at
Santa Anita.
It was fall of 1994, and owner Josephine Gleis had just transferred the gray gelding to Jory's barn.
"He was a maniac," Jory said. "We took him to the track and he refused to gallop . . . just flat-out refused."
It wasn't too surprising. Flying Marfa had earned his reputation as a rogue. He's the horse who was responsible for breaking Corey Nakatani's ankle on April 2, 1994. Cruising to a certain maiden-breaking victory at Santa Anita on April 2, 1994, Flying Marfa inexplicably decided to take a sharp left turn at the eighth pole, smashing into the rail and throwing Nakatani into the infield.
Most riders wanted no part of Flying Marfa, and those who dared climb onto his back were ready for anything and everything.
Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the nuthouse. Flying Marfa matured, and has developed into a hard-trying, money-producing, route specialist. In his last eight races, all distance events on turf, Flying Marfa has led into the stretch every time. Thursday's wire-to-wire victory in a 1 1/2-mile allowance event was his third win to go along with seven seconds from 13 starts this year. He's now earned $139,475 in 1995.
"It's a result of a lot of hard work from everybody," Jory said. "(Exercise rider) Armando Sanchez deserves a lot of the credit. He'd take him out with the first set every morning and he got him to relax. And (jockey) Fernando Valenzuela, he's the first guy who's used the stick on the horse since Nakatani.
"Mostly, I think the horse has just matured and he's gotten better and better with distance. He's a half-brother to Fly Till Dawn, which is why we never had any doubts about him going long."
Fly Till Dawn, who was also owned by Gleis, won the 1992 San Juan Capistrano Handicap, which, at a mile-and-three-quarters, is the longest Grade I stakes event in North America.
BLANC CONTINUES TO MAKE STRIDES
Brice Blanc is a good, old-fashioned apprentice jockey. The 22-year-old native of
France works hard, keeps his mouth shut and his eyes open. He studies the style,
mannerisms and nuances of his fellow riders, and he's respectful to everyone --trainers,
owners, fans and jockeys alike.
It's paying off, Blanc is winning races. He finished ninth at Oak Tree with 14 wins and is tied for sixth at Hollywood's Autumn Meeting with seven wins through Friday.
In the process, Blanc has escaped the clutches of the Catch-22 that has buried hundreds of riders in Southern California.
"Owners and trainers want to see you win before they put you on a horse (in a race)," said Vic Lipton, who has served as Blanc's agent since February. "But how can you win when nobody will give you a call? And the horses you do get, most of them can't run a jump.
"The key is, the rider has to be prepared to do his very best on every mount . . . no matter how bad it looks on paper. If nothing else, he gains experience just by being in the race. And sooner or later, one of those horses is going to fire, and he has to be ready when that moment arrives. Believe me, if you win on a couple of horses that don't figure, people will take notice.
"That's where Brice is right now. He's gained respect. People have seen him win races."
Blanc rode three wins on opening day, Nov. 15, and is now riding an average of six races a day.
"This circuit takes time and patience," Blanc said. "You've got to keep walking around (the stable area), you get nowhere standing still."
Blanc, who came to the United States from France three years ago, began by walking hots for trainer Rodney Rash. And it was Rash who gave Blanc his first winning mount as a rider aboard 19-1 longshot Gulf Tide on Feb. 5.
Blanc, whose apprenticeship extends through May 7 of next year, said he has no plans to return to his homeland.
"Some people tell me it would be better for me," he said. "But I like it here a lot. I want to stay here and try hard to improve my riding everyday. I watch the other (jockeys), the way they ride, and try to do the best I can."
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/alauck)