HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Thursday, May 18, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

POWIS CASTLE TO STRETCH OUT IN SUNDAY'S MERVYN LeROY

A year ago this weekend, Vistas Stable's Powis Castle was competing in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. While the Rare Brick colt wanted no part of the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown, finishing a dull ninth, he has gone on to acquit himself as a good, and occasionally spectacular, racehorse. He captured the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes (Gr. II) opening day at Santa Anita and finished third despite a rough trip in the seven-furlong General George Handicap (Gr. II) at Laurel on Feb. 20.

Powis Castle will now be asked to go a route of ground in Sunday's $100,000-added Mervyn LeRoy Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. Is the colt up to two-turning?

"You don't really want to ask me that, do you?" said trainer Rodney Rash. "Look at his PP's. He finished second to Tabasco Cat going two turns (in the 1994 San Rafael Stakes) and he was second in the (1994) Jim Beam Stakes. I'd say he can route.

"I think the best way to sum him up is to say he's versatile. Six furlongs might be a little too short and a true classic distance' might be a little too long. But he's tough anywhere from seven furlongs to a mile and a sixteenth."

Overall, Powis Castle has 16 starts, with five wins, three seconds, three thirds and $425,988 in earnings.

Probables for the 16th running of the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, a Grade II event at 1 1/16 miles: Tossofthecoin, Corey Nakatani, 118; College Town, Laffit Pincay Jr., 117; Powis Castle, Gary Stevens, 116; Bon Point, Eddie Delahoussaye, 115; Ferrara, Chris Antley, 114; Polar Route, Corey Black, 113, and Ravenwood, Brice Blanc, 107.

RAVENWOOD TO TAKE HIS SHOT IN MERVYN LeROY

At age seven, Ravenwood will be the oldest entrant in Sunday's $100,000-added Mervyn LeRoy Handicap. But his connections -- trainer Kenny Smith, owner Yong Canfield and apprentice jockey Brice Blanc -- will lend the entry youthful support.

Ravenwood, who will carry the 107-pound feather in the LeRoy, will be hard-pressed to get the candy in the Grade II event. But Canfield, the horse's 33-year-old owner, doesn't believe it's a shooting-for-the-moon proposition.

"It's the best time for us to try it," said Canfield, a commodities broker from Huntington Beach. "The horse is doing well right now, and this isn't the toughest graded race you'll ever see."

Canfield, who claimed the Kentucky-bred son of Woodman from a $25,000 event last month at Santa Anita, believes his horse is on the upswing. In his first start after the claim, Ravenwood ran second to the graded stakes winner The Tender Track while racing for an $85,000 tag. He then finished sixth, beaten just six lengths, in a $60,000 allowance event at Hollywood against a field that included three Grade I winners.

"He loves this track," said Canfield, who currently has 10 runners stabled with Smith. "He won both of his races on the main track here last year and he's training super right now.

"Actually, I've been watching (Ravenwood) for a long time. He's a beautiful horse with a lot of class. He just looked like a bargain."

Blanc, 23, began riding this winter at Santa Anita, where he had three wins from 56 starts while riding mainly rank outsiders. At Hollywood, he was one for 35 heading into Thursday's card.

MANDELLA, RASH TRIOS EYE HOLLYWOOD TURF HANDICAP

Trainers Richard Mandella and Rodney Rash could have as many as three runners each representing their respective stables in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29.

As if Mandella didn't already have a strong hand in Best Pal and Sandpit for the 1 1/4-mile classic, the trainer announced Thursday morning that Talloires also is being pointed to the race.

Talloires finished second to Red Earth at Hollywood Park in a 1 1/4-mile allowance turf race on April 30, beaten just a half-length despite encountering traffic problems.

Rash intends to start Celtic Arms, Urgent Request and Saltgrass. Celtic Arms worked a mile on Hollywood Park's firm turf course (dogs up) Thursday morning in 1:41.

In other Hollywood Turf Handicap news:

Vaudeville, second to Unfinished Symph in the San Francisco Mile on April 22, worked a mile on Golden Gate's turf course course in 1:43 2/5 on Wednesday, and trainer Fordell Fierce said owner Ron Crockett's turf specialist was scheduled to ship to Hollywood Park next Thursday.

Del Mar Dennis worked six furlongs on Hollywood Park's fast main track Thursday morning in a bullet 1:11 1/5 under Sal Gonzalez Sr. and trainer Paco Gonzalez was well satisified with the move. Hollywood Park clockers caught Del Mar Dennis in fractions of :23 3/5, :35, :47 and :58 4/5, galloping out seven furlongs in 1:23 3/5.

Trainer Walter Greenman said he was undecided on whether Savinio would run in the Hollywood Turf Handicap or the $125,000-added All American Handicap (Gr. III) at Golden Gate on Saturday.

The probable Hollywood Turf Handicap field: Best Pal, Chris McCarron; Celtic Arms, Eddie Delahoussaye; Del Mar Dennis, Chris Antley; Saltgrass, no rider; Sandpit, Corey Nakatani; Talloires, Kent Desormeaux; Urgent Request, no rider; Vaudeville, Gary Stevens, and Wandesta, Pat Day.

BLACK-EYED SUSAN SIMULCAST ON TAP FRIDAY

Friday's simulcast schedule features Robert and Beverly Lewis' Serena's Song in the $200,000 Black-Eyed Susan and the Gallorette Handicap -- both from Pimlico. The Gallorette runs at 1:40 p.m. and the Black-Eyed Susan at 2:12.

HOLLYWOOD PRESENTS PREAKNESS SIMULCAST SATURDAY

The 120th running of the Preakness Stakes, second leg of racing's Triple Crown, will be shown at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Scheduled post time is 2:31 p.m.

The Preakness field in post position order with Pimlico's morning line odds: Itron, 20-1; Our Gatsby, 10-1; Mystery Storm, 20-1; Talkin Man, 4-1; Tejano Run, 6-1; Pana Brass, 30-1; Timber Country, 9-2; Star Standard, 12-1; Mecke, 15-1; Oliver's Twist, 12-1, and Thunder Gulch, 2-1.

Five other Pimlico stakes races will be simulcast: the Sir Barton (10:42 a.m.), the William Donald Schaefer (11:27 a.m.), the Maryland Budweiser Breeders' Cup (12:12 p.m.), the Pimlico Distaff (12:57 p.m.) and the Early Times Dixie Classic (1:42 p.m.).

Post time for Hollywood Park's first live race Saturday is 1 p.m.

SPECIAL GOLDEN GATE POST TIME SATURDAY

Due to the simulcast of the Preakness Stakes, Saturday's post time at Golden Gate Fields has been moved forward 45 minutes to 12:30 p.m.

Also, first post time for Friday racing at Golden Gate Fields will be 5 p.m. through the end of its meeting, June 26.

PASEANA SET FOR HAWTHORNE HANDICAP

Sidney Craig's Paseana, in a pursuit of the all-time North American filly or mare money title, will make her next start in the $100,000-added Hawthorne Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday, May 28, trainer Ron McAnally said Thursday morning from Santa Anita Park.

Regular rider Chris McCarron has the mount in the Grade II event to be decided at 1 1/16 miles.

Paseana, an 8-year-old Argentine-bred mare, has earned $3,070,403 and is $193,433 short of Dance Smartly's mark of $3,263,836.

FINISH LINES: Congratulations to trainer Kim Lloyd, who celebrates his 40th birthday Friday . . . Friday marks the 31st anniversary of jockey Laffit Pincay Jr.'s first career victory, on May 19, 1964, at Presidente Remon in Panama aboard Huelen . . . Trainer Lewis Cenicola reports Cal Cup Sprint winner Uncaged Fury has resumed training after missing nearly six months with a knee injury . . . Golden Eagle Farm's American Day worked a half-mile Thursday morning in :49, handily, for Richard Mandella. Exercise rider Stephanie Gyure was aboard . . . Semillon worked six furlongs in 1:14 for Mike Mitchell, with Eddie Delahoussaye up.Lady White's turf specialist is pointing to a comeback in the June 10 Shoemaker Handicap.