Stable Notes Del Mar, California Wednesday, August 13, 1997 (Day 19)

AT LEAST EIGHT APPEAR READY TO GO IN SATURDAY'S PAT O'BRIEN 'CAP

Eight top sprinters, led by First Intent, who won the Grade III Bing Crosby Breeders' Cup Handicap July 27, appear to be ready to race Saturday in the Grade III, $100,000-added Pat O'Brien Handicap at seven furlongs on Del Mar's main track. The Pat O'Brien completes the two-race parlay named for the founders of Del Mar 60 years ago.

Returning from the Crosby to do battle with First Intent, owned by theLima Family Trust and trained by Jack Carava, are runner-up Boundless Moment, owned by Budget Stable and trained by Kathy Walsh; Mike Pegram's third-place finisher High Stakes Player, trained by Bob Baffert, and Bill M. Thomas' Score Quick, trained by Mel Stute.

Expected to join this group are Evergreen Farm's Elmhurst, trained by Jenine Sahadi; Ernest Auerbach's Tres Paraiso, trained by Darrell Vienna; Robert B. Moreno's Ready to Order, trained by Jude Feld; and Jack L. Finley's Red, trained by Henry Moreno. Listed as "possible" is W.S. Farish and Relatively Stable's Moving Tribute, trained by Neil Drysdale.

DESORMEAUX ON A ROLL WITH SIX BIG WINS; TO APPEAL SUSPENSION

Jockey Kent Desormeaux's six victories in two days vaulted him into a tie with Alex Solis for first place in the jockey standings. They both have ridden 17 winners.

Desormeaux's victory run began on Sunday when he had three wins to Solis' one and continued through Monday, when the two jockeys chalked up the same numbers. The two triples by the Louisiana native also enriched the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund by $500 through a Del Mar Thoroughbred Club program that pays into the fund for multiple victory days by riders, beginning with $250 for three wins.

Desormeaux's good news on Monday was tempered with the bad that he had been handed a five-day suspension as a result of the disqualification of Eastside Westside from third to eighth in Saturday's ninth race. However, Desormeaux has appealed the suspension, which was to begin on Saturday.

HOFMANS LOOKING FORWARD TO TRAVERS STAKES FOR TOUCH GOLD

Trainer David Hofmans will be logging some frequent flyer miles this week and next as he oversees Touch Gold's preparations for the Grade I, $750,000 Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course August 23.

Hofmans will jet to Saratoga Thursday to watch the 3-year-old colt, owned by Frank Stronach and Stonerside Stable, in what probably will be his final serious workout for the Travers. "He'll go six furlongs, or maybe five," Hofmans said at his Del Mar barn this morning. Following the work, in which Mike Smith will be riding, Hofmans will get aboard another jet and return to Del Mar, where Saturday morning he'll be one of the track's guests at "Donuts at Del Mar."

On Tuesday, he'll fly back to Saratoga and stay until Touch Gold runs. Chris McCarron will ride Touch Gold in the Travers.

Another budding 3-year-old star for Hofmans, Awesome Again, who won Saratoga's Jim Dandy Stales August 3 to become a Travers candidate, also, will run instead in the Pegasus Stakes at The Meadowlands September 20. Awesome Again is owned solely by Stronach.

VALENZUELA SCORES FIRST DEL MAR VICTORY ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela scored his first victory at Del Mar sincereturning from a nine-month suspension when he won the eighth race Monday on High Gun Ryder, trained by Caesar Dominguez, who also is a partner in the ownership of the 3-year-old gelded son of High Brite.

"It felt good, really great," Valenzuela said of the win that he hopes will start him toward better times at the seaside course. "What made it extra special was that the owner asked for me. He told me he was going to put me on my first winner and he did."

MEETING'S FINAL DAY OF TWILIGHT RACING COMES UP ON THIS FRIDAY

The popular "Four O'Clock Friday" programs at Del Mar bow out this Friday as the fourth and final day of twilight racing takes place at the seaside. Post time for the first of eight races on the card is 4 p.m.

Following this Friday's event, post time for the rest of the Fridays of the 43-day meeting will be 2 p.m., the same as the other days of the race week.

After the final race this Friday, patrons will be able to gather in the track's Plaza de Mexico and hear the band "Common Sense" perform.

SHORE LINES - Here are the figures for the first three weeks of the Del Mar meet and how they compare with last year's first three weeks: Average daily handle - $2,344,040 on track, down 1.9 per cent; $4,059,562 off track, down 3 per cent; $4,673,669 out of state, up 8.2 per cent; total average daily handle $11,077,271, up 1.7 per cent. Average daily attendance - 15,771 on track, down 0.3 per cent; 15,805 off track, 4.7 per cent down; total average daily attendance 31,576, a decrease of 2.6 per cent. ... Apprentice jockey J.G. Matos will begin a five-day suspension on Friday that will extend through next Wednesday. Matos was given "days" by the Del Mar stewards for failure to maintain a straight course aboard Pub in the second race on Saturday. The incident occurred in deep stretch and didn't bring a disqualification to winner Pub. ... Jockey Chris McCarron will be out of town the entire weekend of August 23-24, to ride Touch Gold in the August 23 Travers Stakes and to ride Sandpit in the Arlington Million and Deputy Commander in the Secretariat, both at Arlington International Race Course August 24. Sandpit is trained by Richard Mandella and Deputy Commander is trained by Wallace Dollase. ... Julian (Buck) Wheat, the director of horsemen's relations at Churchill Downs and a well-known figure across the racing landscape, is spending a week visiting horsemen at Del Mar.

TODAY'S SIMULCAST STAKES - Saratoga: The Saratoga Special (II).