HOLLYWOOD PARK STABLE NOTES

Saturday, July 15, 1995

By Vince Bruun & Ed Golden

PETIONVILLE SET TO RUMBLE IN SWAPS,
ONCEFORTHEROAD IS ALSO POSSIBLE

Trainer Randy Bradshaw said Everest Stable's Petionville will work a light half-mile

either Monday or Tuesday and is approaching next Sunday's Swaps Stakes in excellent shape.

"His major work is done and I couldn't be more happy," Bradshaw said. "He's

ready to run a big race. As a trainer, that's all you can hope for."

The fact that Kentucky Derby/Belmont winner Thunder Gulch -- the probable Swaps

favorite -- is trained by his former boss is not lost on Bradshaw.

"(But) if we won (the Swaps), it wouldn't be so much that we beat D. Wayne Lukas as

it would be that we beat the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner. From a breeding standpoint, it would be worth a lot of money for Petionville.

"Beating Wayne, whom I greatly admire . . . that would just be the icing on the cake."

Bradshaw also said Hadley Thoroughbreds' Oncefortheroad remains "possible" for the

Swaps. The Cal-bred son of Falstaff, third to Mr Purple at 48-1 odds in the Harry Henson Stakes, is winless in 1995 but has a knack for outrunning his odds.

Confirmed starters for the 22nd running of the Swaps Stakes to be decided at

1 1/8 miles: Dazzling Falls, Laffit Pincay Jr.; Thunder Gulch, Gary Stevens; Petionville, Chris Antley; Mr Purple, Corey Nakatani; T. J.'s Gold, no rider, and To Be Khaled, no rider.

DAZZLING FALLS INVADES FOR SWAPS

It wasn't easy, but Dazzling Falls has made it to Hollywood Park for next Sunday's

$500,000 Swaps Stakes, and trainer Chuck Turco said the all-time Nebraska-bred money-earner has never looked better.

"It's the best I've ever seen him look in the morning," said Turco, after watching

the son of Taylor's Falls gallop over Hollywood's main track. "He's usually very lazy and lackadaisical, but he's been extremely aggressive since he got here. I mean, he had a work earlier this year where they got him a half-mile in :57 flat, if you can believe that. So this is very unusual for him. He's very sharp."

Turco, who operates a string of about a dozen horses out of AKsarben in Omaha,

Nebraska, said it was an ordeal just to get Dazzling Falls to California.

"We had to haul him by van to Des Moines, Iowa," Turco said. "Then he caught

a flight to Dayton, Ohio, where he was laid over, and from there he flew to Los Angeles.

"But it was worth it. It was either that or a 30-hour van ride."

Dazzling Falls has won eight of 16 career starts -- including triumphs in the Grade

II Arkansas Derby and the $200,000 Alabama Derby -- and $855,531 for owners Donald and Barbara Kroeger. In his most recent start, Dazzling Falls was beaten a head by Swaps rival Petionville in the Grade II Ohio Derby.

"Actually, it was a pretty easy decision to come out here for the Swaps," said

the 34-year-old Turco, whose horse is stabled at the shedrow of fellow Nebraskan Jack Van Berg. "It was either this or the Haskell (at Monmouth Park). But we've always wanted to come out here, and this race just fit the schedule perfectly."

Dazzling Falls will have his final workout for the Swaps on either Monday or Tuesday,

Turco said.

SPECIAL PRICE ON COURSE FOR CAESARS RACE

Namour Stable's Special Price, winner of the Grade II Golden Gate Handicap after

finishing a game second in the Grade I San Juan Capistrano Handicap in his U.S. debut on April 23, remains on course for the $250,000-added Caesars Palace Turf Championship, according to Simon Magnier, assistant to trainer Neil Drysdale.

Special Price is likely to vie for favoritism with Sierra Thoroughbreds' Sandpit in

the Grade II event to be decided at 1 1/2 miles on Saturday of next week. Weights were due Saturday.

Sandpit won the $500,000-guaranteed Caesars International Handicap (Gr. I) at Atlantic

City Race Course on June 25. The Brazilian-bred can earn $750,000 if he successfully completes the East-to-West sweep in the Caesars Palace Turf Championship.

The probable field: Jahafil, Chris McCarrron; Liyoun, Goncalino Almeida; Sandpit,

Corey Nakatani; Special Price, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Urgent Request, Patrick Valenzuela.

DOMINGUEZ TO DOUBLE-TEAM JUVENILE CHAMPIONSHIP

Trainer Caesar Dominguez said he plans to run both Double Brass and Desert Native in

the $100,000-added Hollywood Juvenile Championship (Gr. II) on closing day, July 24.

"You know me," said Dominguez, known for his proficiency with 2-year-olds. "I

can't let one of these 2-year-old (stakes) go by without running at least a couple of horses. That's my wheelhouse."

Dominguez, however, won't be running Double Brass and Desert Native merely to

see his trademark orange and green silks on display. Double Brass upset Cobra King in the $55,350 Ladbroke Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on June 25, and the Desert Native finished third in the $72,400 Westchester Stakes on June 4.

Confirmed for the 56th running of the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, to be

decided at six furlongs: Ask Pete, Chris Antley; Desert Native, Corey Nakatani; Double Brass, Pat Valenzuela, and Hennessy, Gary Stevens.

BEL AIR HANDICAP ON CHANNEL 9 SUNDAY

The $125,000-added Bel Air Handicap will be telecast live in the Los Angeles area

Sunday on KCAL, Channel 9, from 4 to 5 p.m.

The Grade II event, featuring Soul of the Matter and You And I, will be shown as

the eighth live race on Hollywood Park's 10-race program.

The show will also present features on devout Elvis Presely fan owner/trainer

Sam Aldabbagh; exercise rider, stewards' aide and model Carolyn Conley; Scott McClellan, agent for Hall of Fame rider Chris McCarron and jockey Alex Solis.

A MID-SUMMER'S DOUBLE

Summer Mayberry appears to have learned her lessons well.

After years of watching her father pop with first-time starters and horses returning

from long layoffs, the younger Mayberry turned an impressive achievement of her own this week. On back-to-back days, the daughter of trainer Brian Mayberry brought both Lucky Jeremiah and Double Or Quits off the shelf for victories.

Lucky Jeremiah, who hadn't raced since May 21, 1994, scored in Wednesday's

fifth race, an $8,000 claimer for older horses, and paid $9.80. Double Or Quits, last seen under silks on July 20, 1994, returned to whip bottom-level maiden claimers in Thursday's nightcap and returned $19.80. The former ran six furlongs in 1:09 2/5, the latter in 1:10 4/5.

"It was a coincidence that the races were so close together, but we knew that both of

them were training well," said Summer, who also owns both of the winners. Mayberry said the entire training process took over three months

"Obviously, they've had their share of physical problems and I've had to take my time

with them," she said. "They both started back in training in April, tack-walking for two weeks and then jogging for another couple of weeks. After that, they galloped for a good month before they were finally ready to breeze.

"Their first works were very light three-furlong breezes. But after that, there was

really no set pattern to their works. It could be seven, nine or 12 days between works. The thing is, the horse kind of tells you where he's at and what he needs. I learned that from my father and mother (Jeanne). They've taught me a lot over the years and are very supportive of my career."

Mayberry also credited her exercise rider, Jose Delima, who happens to be her boyfriend

and a licensed trainer. "He's a wonderful exercise rider and a big help," she said. "He's the greatest."

FINISH LINES: Apprentice jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. recorded his first win at Hollywood Park Friday

night, riding Mike Pegram's Medicine Man Jake to a 4-length victory in the second race for trainer Bob Baffert. "I've won races in New York and Florida but this is where it really matters," Valdivia said. "When you're riding good horses trained by good trainers against the best riders, to win a race is just unbelievable." . . . Apprentice Brice Blanc also struck Friday, clicking with Hode in a $50,000 claiming event at 1 1/4 miles on turf. Hode got left at the break but closed relentlessly for his seventh win in nine career starts . . . Fit To Lead, winner of three straight stakes races for trainer Richard Mandella, was scheduled to go for four in the $175,000-added AKsarben Budweiser Breeders' Cup, one of two races simulcast by Hollywood Park Saturday. Fit To Lead is owned by R.D. Hubbard, Connie Szesney and Jim Colbert, a professional golfer on the Seniors Tour who set a tournament and course record Friday when he shot a nine-under par 63 in the Senior Players Championship at Dearborn, Michigan.

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