AYRTON S TO FACE TOUGHEST TEST IN FUTURITY
The one thing we know for sure about Alex D. Ferreira's Ayrton S is that he'll give
it his best shot in Sunday's $500,000 Hollywood Futurity (Gr. I).
Whether that translates into a victory or not, remains to be seen.
"He's been pretty good so far," trainer Ron Ellis said of Ayrton S. "He's done pretty much everything we've asked him to do. We've spaced his races right and he's training well. But whether he can beat Hennessy, I don't know."
Hennessy, a multiple graded stakes winner trained by D. Wayne Lukas, is by far the most accomplished runner in the field. The Storm Cat colt has finished first or second in seven of eight starts, and his resume includes a victory in the Grade I
Hopeful and a close second in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
But Ayrton S isn't exactly cannon fodder. A Maryland-bred by the promising first crop sire Polish Numbers, Ayrton S has been a study in consistency and versatility. He's never run a bad race, even if it took him four tries to break his maiden.
And since earning his diploma Sept. 3 at Del Mar, Ayrton S has gained confidence and momentum. He spanked eight rivals while winning his first allowance condition on Oct. 22, a race that also marked his first try at a distance. Then, in the Grade III Generous Stakes on Nov. 25, Ayrton S passed two tests in one race.
Facing stakes winners and racing on turf for the first time, Ayrton S, a tall and leggy chestnut, finished a game second to the highly-respected Old Chapel.
Now it's back to dirt for the Futurity.
"He's shown he can run a distance, and he's already won two races on dirt. So this isn't a big adjustment at all," Ellis said. "And if it's muddy, he's trained well on that, too. This is a great chance for him to run for $500,000. He's earned the opportunity."
Probables for the 15th Hollywood Futurity: Odyle, Corey Nakatani; Tropicool, no rider; Hennessy, Gary Stevens; Exetera, Eddie Delahoussaye; Ayrton S, Chris McCarron; Matty G, Alex Solis, and Scholarship, Kent Desormeaux.
LUTHIER FEVER PREPS FOR NATIVE DIVER HANDICAP
Cuadra T Y T Inc.'s Luthier Fever breezed seven furlongs in 1:26 2/5 on a muddy
main track Thursday morning in a prep for the $100,000-added Native Diver Handicap
on Dec. 23.
Luthier Fever, who knocked off Best Pal in the $250,000 California Cup Classic on Nov. 11, will hope to follow in the footsteps of other recent winners of the Native Diver, who used victories in the Grade III event as a tip-off of greater things to come.
Sir Beaufort won the 1992 Native Diver and went on to capture the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap some three months later at Arcadia. Slew of Damascus, who equalled the stakes record of 1:47 2/5 while winning the 1993 running, returned to Hollywood Park in the summer of 1994 to steal the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup in wire to wire fashion. And Best Pal, last year's winner, came within a head of winning his second Santa Anita Handicap last March 11
Best Pal, incidentally, will attempt to become the first two-time winner of the Native Diver Handicap. He blew away the competition by four lengths last year, using a sweeping five-wide move while blitzing his rivals in 1:48 2/5.
Early probables for the 17th Native Diver Handicap, to be decided at 1 1/8 miles on the main track: Alphabet Soup, Chris Antley; Best Pal, Chris McCarron, and Luthier Fever, no rider.
DIRCA TO TRY HIGHER LEVEL IN DAHLIA HANDICAP
Evergreen Farm's Dirca, who made an impressive American debut with a 1 1/4-
length victory over My Trim in a non-winners of $3,000 twice allowance race on Nov. 22,
will make her next start in the $100,000-added Dahlia Handicap on Sunday, Dec. 24.
Dirca, a 3-year-old Irish-bred filly trained by Jenine Sahadi, has never been worse than second in a five-race career that began Nov. 5, 1994 in Saint-Cloud, France. In fact, she's two necks from being undefeated, her biggest triumph coming in the $49,100 Prix Coronation Stakes (Listed) at Laffitte, France.
Early probables for the 14th running of the Dahlia Handicap, to be decided at 1 1/16 niles on the turf course: Cox Orange, no rider; Dirca, Corey Nakatani; Pharma, no rider; Real Connection, Rene Douglas, and Yearly Tour, Chris McCarron.
ATKINSONS "HONEYMOON" IN HONG KONG
Two weeks ago, trainer Wally Dollase made an offer to jockey Paul Atkinson.
"Wally's exact words were, 'How would you like to go on the vacation of your life?' " Atkinson said. "I said, 'Where?' And Wally said, 'Hong Kong.' "
And Hong Kong it was for both Paul and his wife Ami. All expenses paid, including first class travel and deluxe hotel suite.
All Atkinson had to do was ride Horizon Stable's Ventiquattrofogli for Dollase in the $775,800 Hong Kong International Cup at Sha Tin Race Course. As it turned out, Ventiquattrofogli nearly stole the race at 28-1. But the Irish-bred 5-year-old was overtaken by Fujiyama Kenzan in the final furlong of the 1 1/8-mile race. Still, Ventiquattrofogli earned $170,000 and provided Atkinson with his greatest thrill in racing to date.
"I won the (1993) San Bernardino Handicap on Memo, and that was a big thrill," said the 26-year-old Atkinson. "But this was a different kind of thrill. The opportunity to go (to Hong Kong) and ride in an important race in front of that many people . . . I'll never forget."
For the record, there were some 62,000 fans in attendance and according to Atkinson, the roar of the crowd was deafening. The turf course itself was so well-manicured that jockeys needed only one set of goggles per race.
"The race was great, but the experience is what I'll never forget," Atkinson said. "It took 16 1/2 hours to get there, but you just have so much adrenaline you're not tired at all.
"We were on the 10th floor of the hotel and when you looked out the window, I swear it was like Gotham City in Batman. You know, the colors, the darkness and the water . . . it was unbelievably beautiful.
"My wife and I didn't have time for a honeymoon when we got married, but this made up for it. We had a great time."
For Dollase, it was his third trip to the Hong Kong Cup.
"Every time I go, I say the same thing: unbelievable," Dollase said. "If I can get a horse invited, I'll be back for No. 4 next year."
The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/alauck)