'MILLION DOLLAR' MANDELLA AIMS FOR 5TH STRAIGHT

Years ago on the California circuit, there was a trainer with the charismatic handle of Marion "Million Dollar" Smith. He was given the nickname as a kid by his pals, who felt his style was first rate. "He acts like he's a millionaire," they said. Thus, "Million Dollar" Smith.

Ol' Smitty died in 1993. But with Richard Mandella aiming for his fifth straight $1-million victory in the Golden State in Sunday's Pacific Classic, who better to inherit the moniker than the 46-year-old trainer, whose credentials will earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame as soon as he becomes eligible?

Mandella will seek his fifth consecutive $1-million victory with the most dominant handicap horses in training, Gentlemen and Siphon.

"Sandpit's gonna go to Arlington," Mandella said of the earner of more than $2.7 million on the grass, who was being considered for the Pacific Classic after a second in the Santa Anita Handicap and a third in the Hollywood Gold Cup, both dirt races. "The owner (Sergio Coutinho de Meneces) decided that's what he'd like to do. You can't do both, and I let him help me decide which would be best. I like his decision. It gives me a chance to win the Arlington Million (on Aug. 24)."

Mandella sees no change in strategy with Siphon and Gentlemen in the 1 1/4-mile rubber match. Siphon, a committed front-runner, will be on the lead no matter the post position draw. And Gentlemen will be stalking.

When Mandella began training in 1974, he never envisioned he'd be in position to win his fifth $1-million race in a row. The streak began when Siphon won the Gold Cup in 1996. Then Dare and Go upset Cigar in last year's Pacific Classic; Siphon won the Big 'Cap in March; and Gentlemen captured the Gold Cup on June 20. Still, Mandella has learned never to set his objectives too high.

"When I was in the sixth grade, I set a goal to win the (Kentucky) Derby by the time I was 30," Mandella said. "and I screwed that up terribly, so I've been afraid to make any others."

ACTIVE IMAGINATION -- Closed with good energy in debut to be third after horrendous start. Won't be maiden long versus claiming types.

FAIR MARGARITA --Unheralded filly won at 27-1 to stay unbeaten in two starts, coming from dead last to win going away. Her style is ideal for Del Mar, where horses are winning coming from out of the clouds.

GOLD FACE -- Ran huge second at 20-1, despite setting rapid fractions and going very wide into first turn.

PENNE -- Corey Black miraculously found room on hedge for Shoemaker filly who got up to win. Turf repeat in store.

THE HOMESTRETCH: Mandella said Chris McCarron will replace the injured David Flores on Siphon. Flores suffered a fractured vertebrae and a separated right shoulder when his mount, Finder's Fortune, fell in Friday's fifth race. Flores, 29, could be out eight weeks . . . Jeff Tufts, Del Mar's long-time program linemaker, gave up the position one week into the meet. Tufts, who also makes the odds at Santa Anita and Oak Tree, is one of the best in the business. He was replaced at Del Mar by racing writer and former jockeys' agent John DeSantis . . . Headline in major metropolitan newspaper's sports section: "Pfau Pleads Guilty to Fixing a Race." The article referred to Richard Pfau, a jockey with minor league accomplishments on a major league circuit, who pleaded guilty to taking a $2,100 bribe from a gambler to fix an Arabian race at Los Alamitos two years ago. Pfau, 35, held his even-money mount to a fourth-place finish. No way am I condoning fixing of any kind, but the take on horse racing in the minds of most media remains the same: it ain't news unless it's the Triple Crown or a scandal. Then it's on the first sports page. Otherwise, if you're looking for racing news, start at the back of the section. You'll save time. The Pfau story was below the fold. Had it been a name rider, it would have been above the fold. To Pfau's credit, he admitted his guilt, unlike most culprits these days who, when caught red-handed, not only would have denied any wrongdoing, they would have testified the prosecution butchered the case; or the saddle didn't fit; or they weren't his boots . . . Gary Stevens, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday, is movin' and shakin' in venues other than racing. "I have another agent (besides the omniscient Ron Anderson, who books his mounts) who's been doing some work for me," said Stevens. "Ed Goldstone contacted the William Morris Agency a couple months ago and they were very interested. I went in for a meeting with them, not knowing if it was going to be a five-minute courtesy deal or what, but I was in there for an hour-and-a-half. They called me back the next day, set up another meeting and accepted me as their client. I'm very excited about it and they do have some things on the stove that look very, very promising. We're not only doing this for personal gain, but hopefully to move racing forward with the times, open up doors not only for other jockeys, but the owners also. Hopefully, we can get more people involved and build up our fan clientele." Stevens said his emotions reflected on his father and mother when he learned of his selection to the Hall of Fame. "My first thoughts were for my parents and all the support they've given me through my career, and how proud they must be, and how proud my kids will be one day when they understand what it's all about." . . . The Pat with Nine Lives -- jockey Pat Valenzuela -- whose career has been dotted with drug-related suspensions and missed riding assignments, resumed riding Saturday. The 34-year-old rider had been absent for nine months since his arrest last Halloween in Arcadia where he was charged with two misdemeanors.

After more than eight months with no live simulcast of races from Caifornia into Nevada's casinos, you'd think bettors would be using two hands to empty their pockets with the money that had been lying dormant during that period. Despite restoration of the signal on July 23 with the start of Del Mar's meet, that is not the case, according to figures through the first nine days at Del Mar.

Surprisingly, out-of-state handle at Del Mar "has shown a dramatic increase of 17.5 percent," but handle from Nevada has decreased 8.7 percent, according to Del Mar's Director of Corporate Development/Simulcasting T. Patrick Stubbs.

"Our on-track numbers are up 1.3 percent. and our total pari-mutuel handle is up 5.3 percent," said Stubbs, who explained reasons for the Nevada drop. "Many folks from Nevada already had their reservations in place to come to Del Mar in person," he said. "Several race book managers came here on vacation, and they told me they're seeing a lot of their customers here. It's also my understanding that in Las Vegas, the Strip properties are not as busy as the properties that are catering to the locals.

"I believe we have many people who came over, and I'm surprised myself. It caught all of us off-guard. We thought there was an outside chance the Vegas numbers could be up dramatically." Other factors Stubbs noted were a couple of sizable (Pick Six) carryovers last year, and eight race weekday programs this year compared to nine last year.