Stable Notes Del Mar, California
Saturday, August 2, 1997 (Day 10)

SIDNEY CRAIG'S DIFFERENT LEADS FIELD OF SEVEN FOR RAMONA 'CAP

Different, owned by Sidney Craig and trained by Hall of Famer Ron McAnally, heads a field of seven expected to go to the gate today at Del Mar in the 40th running of the Grade I, $300,000 Ramona Handicap at 1 1/8 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

The race is for fillies and mares, three years old and up. The winner's portion of the $300,000 purse is $180,000.

PERCUTANT'S POSSIBLE ENTRY IN PACIFIC CLASSIC TIED TO SANDPIT

Percutant, exclusively a turf runner throughout his career, may be trying the dirt soon, but that depends on another grass expert -- Sandpit -- who has been a success also on dirt.

If Sandpit, owned by Sierra Thoroughbreds and trained by Richard Mandella, is entered in next Saturday's Grade I, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic, Percutant will pass and run instead in the Arlington Million on August 24, says his trainer, Jean-Pierre Dupuis. If, on the other hand, the owners and Mandella choose to run Sandpit in the Million, Percutant then will run in the Pacific Classic.

That would mean a five-horse field for the Classic, and Dupuis would be assured that his horse would pick up a check, since the purse is shared through the first five places.

Though Percutant has not raced on the dirt before, Dupuis says he trains well on the dirt. If he runs in the Classic, Dupuis says, "at least we learn something about him. Even though he trains well on the dirt, you still have to run them to see if they will run on the dirt. If he finishes fifth, we pick up a check and we learn."

Dupuis, born in Le Havre, France, in Normandy 46 years ago, began training at the age of 21 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Prior to that, he started as a rider but soon got too big, he said. In 1976 he tried steeplechase riding and came to the United States to ride for the legendary steeplechase trainer Burley Cocks. Training in the U.S. followed next.

His first training stint in Southern California was for the 1980 Del Mar meet. "I came with two horses and had two wins, two seconds and two thirds," the trainer said. "At the end of the meet one was sold and one went to San Francisco, and no more horses for me."

He and his wife of 20 years, Francoise, then spent time in France buying horses and eventually returned to California to train again. He lets his wife deal with owners. "I like dealing with horses more than dealing with people," he said.

Dupuis, who has 10 horses in training at Del Mar, including Cyrano Storm and Ivory Mint, who's nominated to next Saturday's Rancho Bernardo Handicap, believes Percutant could do better in the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic than he did in his most recent race, the 1 1/2-mile Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park. The distance fits him well, and he runs better with more pace in the race, Dupuis feels.

TRAINER DOLLASE EXCITED ABOUT CRAFTY FRIEND'S "CLASSIC" CHANCES

An ebullient Wallace Dollase was all smiles this morning as he walked his Pacific Classic prospect, Crafty Friend, around Del Mar's backstretch. "I took him for a little walk -- and you know it's very busy here -- and nothing seemed to bother him," Dollase said. "When we got close to the track and he saw the other horses going in he started squealing. He wanted to go."

He'll get his chance tomorrow morning about 6:30, Dollase said. He'll put in his final work in preparation for next Saturday's Grade I, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic at that time.

Dollase is extremely high on the 4-year-old colt's chances in the Classic, saying he has responded perfectly to his training and the plan that had him finishing a strong second in a 7 1/2-furlong allowance race at Hollywood Park June 11, then winning the Grade II, $107,300 Bel Air Handicap, also at Hollywood Park, on July 12. The Belair was prime goal for the colt on his way to the Del Mar "Classic."

Crafty Friend, a Kentucky-bred son of Crafty Prospector, was bought by The Thoroughbred Corp. following his victory in Gulfstream Park's Grade III Broward Handicap January 11. The colt ran poorly and finished eighth in the Grade I Donn Handicap following the Broward, and he was then turned over to Dollase, who turned him out for a short time at Prince Ahmed Salman's farm in Bradbury, CA.

Dollase is charmed by the colt's actions and he says of him: "He's got a great mind and he's very brave." That translates, for Dollase, into a very special horse, one that he thinks has a big chance to win the Pacific Classic.

GARY STEVENS SET FOR RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTION ON MONDAY

Gary Stevens, a major force among riders in Thoroughbred racing for the past decade and winner of more than 4,100 career races, is looking forward eagerly to his induction Monday into racing's Hall of Fame at Saratoga Springs, NY. Stevens' election to the Hall came during Kentucky Derby week this year.

His Hall of Fame credentials were never more evident than when he rode Silver Charm to victory in the Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

Before entering the Hall, Stevens has a date with Anet in Sunday's $1- million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, subbing for David Flores, the colt's regular rider, who was injured in a spill on the Del Mar turf Friday.

Stevens said this morning that he understands Jerry Bailey, last year's jockey inductee and the man Stevens succeeded as president of The Jockey Guild, will introduce him at the induction ceremony.

Also at the ceremony will be veteran trainer Neil Drysdale, who will represent his top filly Bold 'n Determined, who will be inducted in the Modern Female category. Bold 'n Determined died July 1 of this year at the age of 20.

FIRST DEL MAR VICTORY, IN FIRST START, THRILLS MICHELLE MULLINS

Trainer Michelle Mullins can say that she stands atop the Del Mar standings at this point with a 1.000 average -- one win in one start. And that win -- with Berry Blvd. in Friday's third race, a $42,000 allowance event -- was her first ever at Del Mar.

"He's [Berry Blvd.] one of the reasons we came out here," said Mullins, who trains seven horses here owned by country and western singing star George Strait. "I thought he was decent enough to handle the competition out here. It wasn't a terribly tough race and we drew well. It was a lot of fun; I have that monkey [a first win] off my back."

Strait wasn't at Del Mar for the win, but Mullins said she understood that he watched the simulcast of the race at Retama Park in San Antonio, TX. "I know that he's happy," the trainer added.

Mullins is hoping Strait might come out next weekend when she will run a 3-year-old named Perfect Deputy in a race on Sunday.

KEEN BACK FOR THIRD YEAR AT DEL MAR AFTER STARRING IN TEXAS

Trainer Dallas Keen has returned from a highly successful foray into Texas racing during the past spring and summer to tackle the Del Mar scene for the third straight year.

The 40-year-old native of Fort Collins, CO, swamped his Texas training buddies to win the training title at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie by scoring 41 victories and posting a 30 percent winning figure. According to Keen, he had 80 fewer starts than the runner-up, Jim Gaston, who had 19 winners.

Keen left California toward the end of the past winter-spring Santa Anita meeting for his Texas sojourn. "It's the first time in several years I've had all my horses together," Keen said of his 60-horse Texas stable. He brought 18 of his best runners to the Del Mar meeting, he said, and sent the second string to Retama Park in San Antonio.

"The competition at Lone Star was real tough," Keen noted, reeling off a list of trainers that included Donnie Von Hemel, Bobby Barnett, Larry Robideaux, Jude Feld, Tom Bohannon, Randy Bradshaw and Steve Asmussen. "The meet was a really big success," he added.

One of the highlights of the meeting for him was a 23-length victory by The Last Spell in an allowance race late in the meet. Another memorable moment came in the last race of the meet when his trainee, Misting Rain, went wire to wire to win a 1 3/4-mile race.

Of his outlook for Del Mar's meeting, Keen said, "I'm feeling pretty good about my chances at the meet. I've been here enough to know what it takes to be a winner. I think my horses fit, and I'm here to claim horses, too." As a matter of fact, Keen made good on that promise Friday when he claimed Daggett Peak, winner of the fifth race, for $50,000 for owner C.R. Lewis.

SHORE LINES - Jockey David Flores suffered a chipped vertebra in his back and a shoulder separation as a result of a spill Friday during the stretch run of the fifth race at Del Mar. The rider was taken to Scripps Hospital for x-rays and treatment and was reported in stable condition and doing well this morning. His agent, Jim Pegram, said the rider probably would be out of action for 6-8 weeks ... Alex Solis, who returns to riding today following a three-day suspension, has moved up one notch on Del Mar's list of all-time stakes winners. His four stakes victories during the track's first week gave him 34 for his Del Mar career, sending him one ahead of Kent Desormeaux and into 10th place on the career list. ... While Solis, who is tied at 8 wins apiece with Desormeaux in the jockey standings, has been serving his suspension, Desormeaux has been winless and Eddie Delahoussaye and Corey Nakatani have been moving on the leaders. Delahoussaye now has seven victories and Nakatani has six. ... Del Mar will observe another "Five-Star Monday" this Monday when a $5 bill buys Grandstand admission, a program, a reserved seat, a hot dog and a small drink or beer. All it takes is a special coupon from any of the Carl's Jr. restaurants in the San Diego area.

TODAY'S SIMULCAST STAKES - Saratoga: Whitney Handicap; Calder Race Course: Spirit of Fighter Handicap; Louisiana Downs: Honeymoon; Arlington International Race Course: Arlington Handicap.