HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Friday, July 7, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

Former jockey Ralph Neves, known as the "Portugese Pepper Pot" for his fiery
personality, died Thursday night. The 74-year-old native of Cape Cod, Massachussetts, who made his home in Vista, near Del Mar, had been battling a lung tumor.: Neves, born Aug. 26, 1918, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1960. His last ride
came on June 4, 1964, at Hollywood Park, where he won 49 stakes races during his career, including the Hollywood Derby three times. Hollywood Park honored Neves with a "Day" on July 11, 1964.: He finished his 30-year career with 3,771 wins from 25,329 mounts, which placed him
among Thoroughbred racing's all-time top 10 at that time. His mounts earned $13,791,114.: He rode his first winner, Liolele, in July, 1934, at Longacres. He rated Round Table,
on whom he finished third in the 1957 Kentucky Derby, as the best horse he ever rode.: The most bizarre incident involving Neves came in 1936. Following a fall at Bay Meadows,
he was pronounced dead. But Neves rode the following day.: After a 1953 spill at Golden Gate, Neves developed double vision which sidelined him
for several months. His life hung in the balance for several days after he suffered a head injury in a 1959 Memorial Day fall on Rhin at Hollywood Park.: Neves served in the cavalry during World War II and a fall at Ft. Riley, Kansas,
resulted in a back injury which plagued him throughout his riding career.: Funeral arrangements are pending.
WORLD RECORD-HOLDER LUCKY FOREVER PREPS: Russell and Jeanie Bartholomew's Lucky Forever, who set a world's record of 1:13 1/5
for 6 1/2 furlongs in winning the Rich Cream Handicap at Hollywood Park on May 20, worked a half-mile Friday morning in preparation for next Saturday's $150,000-added Hollywood Park Budweiser Breeders' Cup.: The son of Lucky North was clocked in :49 3/5, breezing, on Santa Anita's fast main
track under regular rider Goncalino Almeida.: "It was a good move and the horse is doing fine," trainer Gary Lewis reported via
telephone. Lucky Forever, a 6-year-old Florida-bred gelding, will be making his turf debut in the Budweiser Breeders' Cup, to be decided at 5 1/2 furlongs.: In 14 starts on the main track, Lucky Forever has five wins, two seconds, two thirds
and earnings of $240,700.: There were three confirmed starters as of Friday morning: Cyrano Storme, Kent
Desormeaux; Lucky Forever, Almeida, and Pembroke, Corey Nakatani.: Jenine Sahadi was still on the fence with Lit De Justice, while John Sadler was
undecided with Three Peat.: Weights are due Sunday.
CLEANTE READY FOR BEL AIR HANDICAP: Ron McAnally, who has climbed into third place in the Hollywood Park trainers'
standings with 17 wins through Thursday, four behind leader Sandy Shulman and three behind runner-up Bobby Frankel, intends to start Janis R. Witham's Cleante in the $125,000-added Bel Air Handicap on July 16.: Trainer Terry Mangrum, who sent out Mary Bradley's Constant Craving to upset 1-2 shot
Blumin Affair on June 12, said he will work the son of Chief's Crown Saturday before making a decision.: "There's a very good possibility he'll run," Mangrum said. "But we'll work him
Saturday and then we'll see.": The probable field for the Grade II event at 1 1/16 miles on the main track: Bon Point,
no rider; Cleante, no rider; Constant Craving, no rider; Luthier Fever, no rider; Soul of the Matter, Kent Desormeaux, and You And I, no rider.: Weights are due Sunday.
WEEKEND SIMULCASTS SET AT HOLLYPARK: Serena's Song will be featured in the $250,000-guaranteed Coaching Club American Oaks
(Gr. I), which will be shown at Hollywood Park from Belmont Park via simulcast on Saturday. The Oaks will be seen as part of the full card simulcast from Woodbine.: Arlington Park's $125,000-guaranteed Round Table Stakes (Gr. III) will also be
simulcast Saturday, with post time scheduled for 2:35 p.m.: Sunday's simulcasts are the $100,000-added New York Handicap (Gr. II) from Belmont
Park at 2 p.m., and the $400,000-estimated Queens Plate from Woodbine at 2:40 p.m. Gary Stevens rides Langfuhr for trainer Mike Keogh in the 1 1/2-mile turf event at Woodbine.
EARLYBIRDS CAN WATCH BOXERS SPAR SUNDAY: Hollywood Park, in conjunction with Forum Boxing, will host five boxers sparring for the
"Accion Caliente," four championship fights to be held at the Great Western Forum on Sunday, July 15.: The sparring sessions will take place from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the stage area
north of the winner's circle, where the Friday night bands perform.: The five boxers sparring, in order, are Mark Johnson (Penta flyweight champion), Lonnie
Bradley (WBO middleweight champion), Saman Sorjaturong (Thai boxer challenging Chiquita Gonzalez), Gonzalez (WBC/IBF light flyweight champion) and Marco Antonio Barrera (WBO featherweight champion).
McANALLY PROUD OF ITALIAN IMPORT ALPRIDE: One victory doesn't make a champion, even in a Grade I race and even if it's a horse's
first start in a new land.: Ron McAnally certainly is well aware of that, but even a trainer who has tightened the
girth on such champions as John Henry, Bayakoa and Paseana could gain satisfaction from sending out $20.80 winner Alpride to upset Possibly Perfect in last Sunday's Grade I Beverly Hills Handicap.: Alpride, a 4-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Alzao-Roberts Pride, by Roberto, was making
her first United States start. She had nine wins from 13 starts in Italy, and earnings of $254,214.: But McAnally's keen eye caught more than just superficial figures.; "It didn't take her as long to acclimate as it did the others (Bayakoa and Paseana, both from
South America)," McAnally said. "This filly had been training good, and we entered her several times for an allowance race that never went. I hate like heck to run them in a Grade I race first time out, but I knew she was fit enough. She had a couple of good works.: "Granted, she had raced in Italy, but purses have increased there in the last seven or eight
years, and a lot of the English and French horses race there now because of the money. So the Italian competition has been tougher.: "There were three very important factors about her last race in Italy (Oct. 30, 1994). It was
written that she had run in two Group 1 races over there and was beaten. But both races were at a mile and a half, and both on a heavy race track. So that accounted for her poor performances in those two races -- the distance and the track condition.: "Another thing is, the horse she beat in her last race (Bulaxie) was favored to win the
English Oaks.": McAnally said Alpride, purchased by Sid Craig as a Christmas present for his wife,
Jenny, likely will be pointed to the $300,000-added Ramona Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 5.: Like the Beverly Hills Handicap, it is a Grade I race at nine furlongs on the turf. But
don't expect to get 9-1 this time.
PEGASUS FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT JULY 17: The Pegasus Foundation will hold a golf tournament at Via Verde Country Club in San
Dimas on Monday, July 17. The event will benefit retired race horses.: The United Pegasus Foundation presently has more than 50 horses in its care, and
recently saved 20 young horses from slaughter. Its greatest needs are vitamins, medications, feed, bandages and ice boots to aid in caring for the horses.: Registration for the tournament, which will have a shotgun start, takes place at 11 a.m.
There will also be a Long Drive contest, a Closest to the Pin contest and a Hole in One contest, with trophies to the first three places in each category.: For further information, call Susan Webb at (818) 446-1586 or Helen Meredith at
(818) 452-461.
TRAINERS ARE HORSEMEN, BUT MOST PREFER TO WALK: D. Wayne Lukas, Jack Van Berg, Wally Dollase.; They are but three of the many Southern California-based Thoroughbred trainers who
always perform their morning regimens on the top of a horse.: Others, such as Bobby Frankel, Charlie Whittingham and Richard Mandella, prefer to walk
through their chores and are never seen on a pony.: The trainers fall into three categories: Always, Sometimes, and Never on a horse during
the morning training hours. Oddly, only a handful do all their training on horseback.: ALWAYS: Wally Dollase, Paco Gonzalez, Mike Harrington, D. Wayne Lukas, Bruce
Headley, Casey Maslonka, Willard Proctor, Jack Van Berg, George Vogel and Don Warren.: SOMETIMES: Ray Bell Jr., Randy Bradshaw, Joe Devereux, Richard Cross, Caesar
Dominguez, Ron Ellis, Jerry Fanning, Walter Greenman, Dan Hendricks, Bob Hess Jr., Bruce Jackson, Craig Lewis, Gary Lewis, Donn Luby, Mike Machowsky, Derek Meredith, Doug Peterson, Steve Rothblum, John Sadler, Chris Speckert, Warren Stute, Eddie Truman, Danny Velasquez and Wesley Ward.: NEVER: Barry Abrams, Sam Aldabbagh, Bob Baffert, David Bernstein, Jim Buss, Lewis
Cenicola, Vladimir Cerin, David Cross, Leonard Dorfman, Neil Drysdale, Jean-Pierre Dupuis, Jerry Dutton, Bobby Frankel, Eddie Gregson, David Hofmans, Gary Jones, Richard Mandella, Brian Mayberry, Mike Mitchell, Mike Mollica, Ron McAnally, Rodney Rash, Jenine Sahadi, Jack Saip, Sandy Shulman, Cliff Sise Jr., Bill Spawr, Roger Stein, Mel Stute, Noble Threewitt, Darrell Vienna, Charlie Whittingham and Randy Winick.: Hendricks said each style has its advantages.; "You don't get to see as much when you're on a pony," Hendricks explained. "But
when you're on a pony, you have a more personal sense, you're closer to the horse you're with and you get more of a hands-on feel of the horse.: "It helps (being on a pony) in isolated cases, but overall, it's hard to ride out on every
set. It's great if you can use both to your advantage. If I'm on a horse and I see something during the workout I want to change, I can go out and help or do it myself, or show them exactly what I want.": FINISH LINES: Trainer Paco Gonzalez said Del Mar Dennis will be given a little freshening before
deciding on his next race. Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan's chestnut finished seventh in the Hollywood Gold Cup after pressing the pace for six furlongs . . . Gary Lewis reports Jumron arrived at his Santa Anita barn Thursday after recovering from a minor muscle strain, which he suffered following his fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. "He might be back by the latter part of Del Mar," Lewis said . . . Susan Isaacs said Blaze O'Brien continues to progress at Alamo Pintado following surgery Monday for a fractured right front sesamoid. "The cast is off and he's outdoors, teasing the mares," said Susan, who owns the stakes winner of more than $900,000 along with her husband, Barry. "If all goes as scheduled, he'll go from there to a nearby farm and then come home (to the track) in two weeks. Although everyone's done a fine job with him, he's most comfortable around people he knows. Eventually, he'll go to (trainer) Hector Palma's farm in Bradbury and be with us the rest of his life. He'll be staying with mommy." . . . Prominent workouts at Hollywood Park Friday morning: Strodes Creek (:50, handily, fast main track) for Charlie Whittingham, and Caesars Palace Turf Champion candidate Special Price (1:17 4/5, handily, firm turf, no dogs) for Neil Drysdale. Shinnecock Hills, unbeaten in two starts and a supplemental nominee to the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 23, worked six furlongs for Chris Speckert at Santa Anita in 1:14 3/5, handily.

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