HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Monday, June 28, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP,
RACE OF THE YEAR WITH CIGAR AND CONCERN

From the casual racing fan to the most ardent horseman, the opinions are unanimous.

The $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park on Sunday is, without question, the race of the year.

With leading Horse of the Year candidate Cigar and 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic winner

Concern zeroing in on the Grade I classic, interest in the race is peaking to mountainous heights.

"For once, it looks like the East Coast horses (Cigar and Concern) are better than

the West Coast horses," trainer Cliff Sise Jr. said. "This is a race I'd pay to come out and see. This is what horse racing's all about, getting the good horses together and seeing who's best.

"You've got the best eastern riders coming out (Jerry Bailey and Mike Smith) against

the best western riders, the best eastern horses against the best western horses. This is what it was like 15, 20 years ago."

"I think the race is tremendous from all angles," trainer Bob Hess Jr. said.

"I think it's going to be a great race. A lot of people have given the race to Cigar, but I think Concern is going to be triple-tough. I think he really took to this track (in winning The Californian on June 11).

"You don't see a horse make a move at the half (mile pole) and keep going. But

aside from that, I think it's just great for racing. It's kind of the race that never did happen in the Big 'Cap and it's going to happen now."

Richard Mandella, trainer of Golden Eagle's Farm's all-time active money winner, Best

Pal, who will be bidding for his second Hollywood Gold Cup victory, assuredly is anticipating the race, at least in one sense.

"As a fan, I'm very excited, because it's a championship-caliber race," Mandella

said. "As a trainer, I'd be more excited if they (Cigar and Concern) weren't coming, because I'd have even a better chance of winning suxh a rich race."

The purse of the Gold Cup would be worth $750,000 without both Cigar and Concern. It

was increased to $1 million by Hollywood Park based on the participation of both horses.

"I like it because it helps stimulate our industry," said trainer Randy

Bradshaw, a D. Wayne Lukas protegé and a strong advocate of the Thoroughbred sport in its purest form.

"People come out to see these kind of horses run. This is the kind of race you

wait for and everyone looks forward to. Hopefully, Martin's (racing secretary Martin Panza) done his job and the horses all come together on the wire. That would be the best scenario."

Trainer Rodney Rash said Urgent Request galloped and added the Santa Anita Handicap

winner will not work again prior to the Gold Cup. Urgent Request worked nine furlongs in 1:51 on June 22 in his final Gold Cup drill.

Paco Gonzalez said Del Mar Dennis is scheduled to work a half-mile Thursday under regular

exercise rider Sal Gonzalez Sr.

Blumin Affair galloped Wednesday and is also scheduled to work Thursday morning for

trainer Jack Van Berg.

Rash, who is bringing Santa Anita Handicap winner Urgent Request up to the Gold Cup off

a 78-day layoff since a sixth-place finish in the Oaklawn Handicap on April 15, knows he's in for a much more difficult battle in the Gold Cup than he had in the Big 'Cap.

"This race is a lot tougher," Rash said. "I don't think lightning can

strike twice, but we wouldn't run if we didn't think we could win."

The probable field for the 56th edition of the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup, which will be

televised nationally by ESPN and be presented as the sixth live race with a 3:40 p.m. post time: Best Pal, Chris McCarron, 120; Blumin Affair, Goncalino Almeida, 115; Cigar, Jerry Bailey, 126; Concern, Mike Smith, 123; Del Mar Dennis, Alex Solis, 118; Tinners Way, Eddie Delahoussaye, 118; Tossofthecoin, Corey Nakatani, 118, and Urgent Request, Gary Stevens, 118.

GOLD CUP DRAW THURSDAY MORNING

Hollywood Park will host media and horsemen at the post position draw for the $1 million

Hollywood Gold Cup at 9 a.m. Thursday morning.

Many of the jockeys, trainers and owners participating in the Grade I classic at

1 1/4 miles will be on hand for the draw, which will take place at the Horsemen's Lounge on Hollywood Park's backstretch.

Post positions for the $300,000-added Beverly Hills Handicap and the $125,000-added

Affirmed Handicap also will be drawn at that time.

WINNING GOLD CUP GROOM TO RECEIVE NEW FORD TRUCK

The groom who cares for the winning horse of the 1995 Hollywood Gold Cup will receive a

1995 Ford truck, courtesy of Hollywood Park.

Hollywood Park, as it did last year, will salute the winning groom for the hard work and

dedication in making his or her companion a champion.

Manhattan Ford/Toyota is the official car dealership of Hollywood Park.

WORK THE CROWD FIRM FOR BEVERLY HILLS HANDICAP

Work The Crowd, expected to furnish a stern challenge for Possibly Perfect in Sunday's

$300,000-added Beverly Hills Handicap, will join the lineup for the Grade I event, trainer Greg Gilchrist confirmed Wednesday.

"We're putting her on a van this evening and shipping," Gilchrist said.

"She worked very well this morning at Golden Gate and we're all set."

The California-bred daughter of Political Ambition won two Grade III stakes races in her

last two starts. She worked a half-mile on Golden Gate Fields' turf course Wednesday morning. With exercise rider Jean Campbell aboard, the daughter of Political Ambition was clocked in :46 2/5.

Blue Vista, Inc.'s Possibly Perfect, who worked six furlongs in 1:13, handily, on

Hollywood Park's fast main track Tuesday morning, will seek her sixth straight victory in the Beverly Hills Handicap.

The probable field: Aube Indienne, Eddie Delahoussaye, 116; Fondly Remembered,

Patrick Valenzuela, 112; Lady Affirmed, Gary Stevens, 114; Possibly Perfect, Kent Desormeaux, 124; Wandesta, Corey Nakatani, 119, and Work The Crowd, Chris McCarron, 121.

ROMARIN LOOKS TO REBOUND IN AMERICAN HANDICAP

Romarin, who dueled with You And I through splits of :44 1/5 and 1:08 3/5 before fading

to sixth in the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap on the main track on May 29, will return to turf for Tuesday's $150,000-added American Handicap (Gr. II), trainer Richard Mandella said.

Corey Nakatani will have the mount aboard Romarin, who, at 120 pounds, will be the

starting highweight in the 1 1/8-mile American.

Overall, Romarin has started 18 times with nine firsts, two seconds, two thirds and

$434,255 in earnings. In the United States, the Brazilian-bred has four wins from eight starts including Grade II triumphs in the San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita and the Early Times Classic at Churchill Downs.

Also confirmed for the American is Cocooning, a 6-year-old California-bred gelding

owned and trained by Sam Aldabbagh. A winner of 14 of 49 starts, Cocooning finished 10th and last in the Grade I Hollywood Turf Handicap on May 29, but he did beat French Derby winnner Celtic Arms in a $60,000 allowance race on May 1.

Aldabbagh said he hasn't selected a rider for Cocooning, the featherweight of the race

at 111 pounds.

Confirmed for the 56th running of the American Handicap: Romarin, Corey Nakatani,

120; Savinio, Chris McCarron, 118; Eagle Eyed, Eddie Delahoussaye, 117; Blaze O'Brien, Corey Black, 117; Johann Quatz, Alex Solis, 116; Lord Shirldor, 115, no rider; Red Earth, Kent Desormeaux, 114, and Cocooning, no rider, 111.

Possible: Silver Wizard, 118, no rider; Fastness, 115, no rider, and Marvin's Faith, 115,

no rider.

ONCEFORTHEROAD BLOWS OUT FOR SUNDAY'S AFFIRMED HANDICAP

Oncefortheroad, a California-bred son of Falstaff with a penchant for out-running his

odds, worked three furlongs in :37, handily, Wednesday morning in final preparation for Sunday's $125,000-added Affirmed Handicap for 3-year-olds.

Owned by Hadley and Hadley Thoroughbreds and trained by Randy Bradshaw,

Oncefortheroad is winless in three 1995 starts. That, however, is not a fair gauge of the horse's ability. The chestnut colt lacks speed but ran on late to finish second at 58-1 in the San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita, and most recently rallied to finish third to multiple stakes winner Via Lombardia in the Grade III Cinema Handicap on the turf.

The Grade III Affirmed Handicap -- the final local steppingstone to the $500,000 Swaps

Stakes on July 23 -- will mark a return to the main track for Oncefortheroad. Danny Sorenson, who rode Oncefortheroad to a head victory over Fandarel Dancer in the $48,000 Gateway to Glory last September at Fairplex Park, will again have the mount in the Affirmed.

Probables for the 17th running of the Affirmed Handicap to be decided at 1 1/16 miles:

Mr Purple, Corey Nakatani, 120; On Target, Alex Solis, 117; Pumpkin House, Gary Stevens, 115; Oncefortheroad, Danny Sorenson, 114; Hidden Source, Kent Desormeaux, 113, and To Be Khaled, no rider, 112.

ANKLE INJURY SIDELINES CAT'S CRADLE

Ridder Thoroughbred Stable's Cat's Cradle, who had been expected to run in the

$200,000-added Hollywood Oaks on July 9, will miss the Grade I race and is expected to be out for two months.

"Her ankle hasn't come around. It's more serious than I thought," said trainer

David Hofmans of the 3-year-old daughter of Flying Paster who won the Grade I Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park on May 7.

"It's a severe wrench (of her left front ankle). We'll send her to the Ridder Farm

in Hidden Springs on July 1 and she'll be out for two months."

APPRENTICE JOSE VALDIVIA JR. TO BEGIN RIDING AT HOLLYWOOD

Apprentice Jose Valdivia Jr., nephew of former great Fernando Toro, will begin riding

at Hollywood Park Friday night.

A 20-year-old native of Peru, Valdivia most recently rode at Belmont Park, where in

88 mounts he had four wins, 11 seconds and eight thirds. He rode 16 winners this spring at the Hialeah meet.

Agent Jim Pegram will book mounts for the 107-pound Valdivia.

The apprentice is living with Toro and said his uncle is an excellent tutor.

"He's showing me tapes of all kinds of races from the (Southern) California

tracks," Valdivia said. "He's teaching me the differences in the (dirt) tracks and the turf courses. I feel very fortunate to be able to learn from him.

"I've always wanted to ride in California," Valdivia added. "In 1982, when I was just a

little boy, I came out here and got to watch all of the big California races. I've never forgotten it."

FINISH LINES: Breeders' Cup Classic future book odds posted by the Sands Hotel and

Casino in Las Vegas: Cigar, 2-1; Concern, 4-1; Urgent Request, 5-1; Tossofthecoin, 8-1, and Tinners Way, 10-1 . . . Bobby Frankel reports Edmund Gann's Torch Rouge, fourth in the Caesars International at Atlantic City on Sunday, will be pointed to a Del Mar campaign . . . Megan's Interco, who worked five furlongs Tuesday in :59 4/5 for Jenine Sahadi, galloped out in 1:13 2/5 and is readying for the Del Mar meeting . . . Eduardo Inda was scheduled to send out his first starter as head trainer for Marshall Naify's 505 Farms, Bahatur, in Thursday's second race. It's the first time the former long-time assistant to Ron McAnally will have sent out a horse in his own name since 1981.

Randy Bradshaw said Louisiana and Ohio Derby winner Petionville is scheduled to

work a half-mile at Hollywood Park on Thursday in preparation for the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 23. Chris Antley is expected to regain the mount. Pat Day rode Petionville to victory in the Ohio Derby, but is likely to have a commitment on Heavenly Prize in the $175,000-guaranteed Go For Wand Handicap (Gr. I) at Saratoga on July 23 . . . Probables for the $100,000-added Jim Murray Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on the turf on Saturday: Beneficial, Corey Black, 115; Exalto, Eddie Delahoussaye, 113; Jahafil, Chris McCarron, 117; Swiss Mirage, no rider, 112; Talloires, Kent Desormeaux, 119, and Yakout, no rider, 111.

Trainer Bruce Jackson said In Character will skip Sunday's Affirmed Handicap. The

English-bred lost a chunk of his left front hoof after losing a shoe while training for the June 3 Cinema Handicap, and still isn't 100 percent, Jackson said . . . Jersey Derby winner Da Hoss is doubtful for the Affirmed Handicap but remains a possibility for the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 23 . . . Wednesday marks the 27th anniversary of Delahoussaye's first career victory aboard Brown Shill at Evangeline Downs . . . Trainer Richard Mettee celebrates his 37th birthday Wednesday. Mettee is enjoying an excellent meeting with five wins from 18 starts.

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