Stable Notes Del Mar, California
Sunday, August 3, 1997 (Day 11)

LUKAS HOPES FOR WHOPPER OF A WIN WITH MILLIONAIRE MARLIN

Marlin, sporting an earnings record of $1.7 million for owner Michael Tabor and trainer D. Wayne Lukas, leads a field of seven into today's 24th edition of the Grade I, $300,000 Eddie Read Handicap, to be run at 1 1/8 miles on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Marlin's chief competition likely will come from El Angelo, winner of Hollywood Park's Grade 2 American Handicap on July 4. The winner's portion in the race is $180,000.

SANDPIT OUT, PERCUTANT IN AS PACIFIC CLASSIC FIELD SETTLES AT FIVE

Sandpit, who finished second in the Santa Anita Handicap and third in the Hollywood Gold Cup and has been pointed toward next Saturday's Grade I, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic at Del Mar by trainer Richard Mandella, has been withdrawn from the Classic and will run instead in the Arlington Million at Arlington International Race Course on August 24.

Percutant, who's trainer, Jean-Pierre Dupuis, has said all along that the colt's next start hinged on where Sandpit would run, now comes into the Pacific Classic to put the prospective field at five.

Assistant trainer Gary Mandella, speaking for his father, who was under the weather with flu-like symptoms, said of the decision on Sandpit: "Mr. Meneces [owner Sergio Meneces of Sierra Thoroughbreds] decided he'd like to have a fresh horse in the Arlington Million. He believes a win could salvage top grass horse [Eclipse Award] for Sandpit. You know, he beat Marlin once [in Santa Anita's Grade II San Marcos Handicap January 20]."

Even after bowing out of the Pacific Classic, Sandpit still stands to capture $75,000 in bonus money based on participation in two of the races that make up the MGM Grand Classic Crown series of the Big 'Cap, the Gold Cup and the Pacific Classic. The 8-year-old horse totaled 12 points for his second and third in his two races, good enough for third in the standings. Stablemate Siphon leads the point race with 17 on a first at Santa Anita and second at Hollywood Park, and Gentlemen is second with15 points for a third in the Big 'Cap and first in the Gold Cup. The top three point-makers are trained by Mandella.

Marlin, owned by Michael Tabor and trained by D. Wayne Lukas, has six points for fourths in both earlier races, and is in line for $50,000 in bonus money even though he won't run.

With the defection of Sandpit and the addition of Percutant, the latter picks up the saddle services of Corey Nakatani, Sandpit's regular rider. Trainer Dupuis said this morning he was very happy with Percutant's five- furlong workout (:59 2/5) on the seaside course's main track Saturday. He worked very easy," Dupuis said. "So far, so good."

Also putting in a final serious work Saturday was Siphon, owned by Rio Claro Thoroughbreds. The 6-year-old Brazilian-bred breezed seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5 on the main track, and that effort drew praise from Gary Mandella. "We were really happy with it," Mandella said. "He came out of the work great. He's very fit now. All he needed was a nice, steady work."

Siphon will have a new jockey for the Pacific Classic -- Chris McCarron. The Hall of Fame rider takes over for regular jockey David Flores, who suffered a serious back injury in a spill at Del Mar on Friday and is expected to be out of action six to eight weeks.

Two more Pacific Classic prospects -- likely favorite Gentleman and Crafty Friend --put in solid workouts this morning, leaving River Keen as the last to finish his serious work -- scheduled for Monday -- toward Saturday's date in the Classic.

Gentlemen, owned by the partnership of Gilberto Montagna, Aldo Soprano, Juan Jose Varsi and R.D. Hubbard, was clocked in 1:13 for six furlongs on the main track. "He did it very easy," young Mandella said. "He'll get a day off tomorrow and walk. Then he'll gallop up to the race."

Crafty Friend, owned by The Thoroughbred Corp., got good grades from trainer Wallace Dollase for his 1:26 1/5 clocking for seven furlongs. "He was very relaxed out there," Dollase began. "He went off easy the first part of it; that's what we were hoping for. I asked him to run down the stretch and he closed real well. Alex [jockey Alex Solis, who was aboard for the work] was pleased. He left him on the rail all the way. He said it was more tiring and he wanted to make sure that the colt got something out of the work."

The son of Crafty Prospector will walk on Monday and then he'll have long gallops up to the race, Dollase said.

Trainer Robert Hess, Jr. said River Keen will work five furlongs Monday morning. "He'll just go a smooth five furlongs," the trainer said. "We're not worried about time now. We know he's ready to race."

EIGHT 2-YEAR-OLD FILLIES ENTERED FOR WEDNESDAY'S SORRENTO STAKES

With an eye toward the Grade II, $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, eight 2- year-old fillies were entered today for Wednesday's Grade II, $100,000- added Sorrento Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Del Mar's main track. If the eight start, the gross purse will be $108,825, with $68,825 going to the winner.

The two highweights in the field at 121 pounds are Bent Creek City, trained by Jeff Bonde and ridden by Chris McCarron, and Career Collection, trained by Wallace Dollase and ridden by Corey Nakatani. Both fillies have two wins to their credit. In their last start, Career Collection captured Hollywood Park's Grade II Landaluce Stakes and Bent Creek City finished second.

The rest of the field: Meadow Lake Or Tsu, with 117, including Patrick Valenzuela; Code Love, 117, Eddie Delahoussaye; Dereks Baby Girl, 117, Rene Douglas; Code From Heaven, 117, Kent Desormeaux; Griselle, 117, J.G. Matos; and Run Classy Lady, 117, Alex Solis.

RAMONA WINNER ESCENA EXITS IN FINE SHAPE; BEVERLY D MAY BE NEXT

Young Simon Bray, assistant in charge of Bill Mott's string at Del Mar, was basking in the afterglow this morning of Escena's victory in Saturday's Grade I, $300,000 Ramona Handicap at the seaside track.

"She came out of the race in great shape and ate up everything last night," the smiling Bray said. "The plan now is to go to the Beverly D in Chicago." The Grade I, $500,000 race will be run at Arlington International Race Course on August 24.

Bray, who has picked up a nice suntan during his time "where the turf meets the surf" to carry back to the Mott stable's New York base, fairly beams when talking about Del Mar. Following Saturday's victory, for instance, Bray shouted, "I just love Del Mar," adding that, of course, it doesn't hurt to chalk up stakes wins either. So far, the Mott barn has started five horses and has logged two victories, a second and a fourth. The wins have come in stakes races -- the Ramona, and the overnight Honey Fox Handicap on Friday with Yokama.

Pat Day, who shipped in from Saratoga, made Escena's victory his third in a Del Mar stake. He won the Escondido Handicap and the Del Mar Handicap, both in 1993, aboard Luazur.

Both Ron McAnally, who trains the Ramona third-place finisher Different, and Ben Cecil, who's trainee, Donna Viola, finished fourth, said the next start for their mares probably would be the Beverly D. Mel Stute, on the other hand, said Real Connection, runnerup in the race, would stay at Del Mar for her next start.

SHORE LINES - Del Mar's total handle of $15,601,536.20 on Saturday's was the second highest in the seaside track's history. The record is $20,813,571 established on Pacific Classic Day last year, when Cigar was going for a modern-day record-breaking 17 consecutive victories. ... Laffit Pincay, Jr. is being celebrated at Emerald Downs outside of Seattle today for his contributions to Thoroughbred racing over his lengthy career. The track originally scheduled the salute in April, but Pincay had to bow out because of injuries he suffered in a spill at Santa Anita. ... Strong performances by Eddie Delahoussaye during the past week have sent him into a tie with Alex Solis at the top of the jockey standings after 10 days of Del Mar's 43-day racing meet. Both riders have nine victories. ... With his win in Friday's Wickerr Handicap, Corey Nakatani moved into an eighth-place tie with retired rider Fernando Toro on Del Mar's list of all-time stakes winners. ... Kent Desormeaux, Chris McCarron and Gary Stevens give today's Haskell Invitational a distinct California flavor. Desormeaux rides Free House for trainer Paco Gonzalez, McCarron rides Touch Gold for David Hofmans and Stevens rides Anet for Bob Baffert. Desormeaux just missed winning Saturday's Whitney Handicap at Saratoga when his mount, Formal Gold, was beaten a nose by Will's Way.

TODAY'S SIMULCAST STAKES - Philadelphia Park: Philadelphia Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (Grade III); Saratoga: Jim Dandy (II); Ellis Park: Governors Handicap; Monmouth Park: Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap (I); Louisiana Downs: Ark-La-Tex Handicap (III); Emerald Downs: Eagle Hardware and Garden Derby.