Parents’ New Bundle of Joy Comes in ‘Monster’ Size

--His father has affectionately dubbed him “the monster” and Rodrigo Pendragon Campeador is indeed big, perhaps the biggest baby ever born in the Coachella Valley. Rodrigo was born at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Indio, weighing in at 16 pounds, 7 ounces. “It will definitely go in some record book,” said Dr. M.F. Osman, the obstetrician who performed an otherwise routine Caesarean section Saturday to deliver the son of El Cid and Guadalupe Campeador--their fifth child. Both mother and son were reported doing fine. Osman said he expected Mrs. Campeador, who weighs 140 pounds and is 5-foot-3, to deliver a large baby. But he said he predicted 12.5 pounds tops. “Just make sure when he’s a football player you remember me,” Osman told the proud father, who is 6 feet tall and weighs 250. “I’ll get you free tickets to the Super Bowl,” Campeador said. Osman said he believes Rodrigo will always be big. “This baby might be 50 pounds by his first birthday.”

--The “professional, cool manner” in which his fellow space shuttle astronauts tried to salvage an errant satellite brought tears to his eyes, Sen. Jake Garn said. “It was a magnificent job,” said the 52-year-old Utah Republican, “and there are no words to describe what a success this mission was and how proud I am of these people.” Garn, who flew on the mission as a congressional observer, made the remarks at a news conference with his six crew mates at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

--Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, finished fourth in her competitive horse-racing debut in a 16-horse charity event. The princess, 34, a champion show jumper, took part in the 1.5-mile Farriers Invitation Private Stakes at the 205-year-old track at Epsom, southwest of London. The race raised $41,000 for the Riding for the Disabled Fund. Princess Anne failed in her attempt to become the first member of the royal family to win a competitive horse race. Her elder brother, Prince Charles, was second in a similar private sweepstakes in 1980. “It was great fun, but I think it was a one-off and I’m most unlikely to be seen in racing colors again,” she said.

--The dress the owner of a Bluegrass horse farm will wear for one of Lexington’s Kentucky Derby galas may be a hand-me-down, but it’s no ordinary dress. Robyn Perlman, owner of Cynthiana Hall Farm, said she saw singer Diana Ross wearing the dress on the Grammy Awards show and called her to find out the name of her designer. Ross responded that she designed it herself and plans to market a line of dresses under her name. According to Perlman, the singer told her: “I’m so happy you liked it . . . it’s yours. I’ll mail it to you.” The dress arrived this week. “The best part is that when I put it on, I can sing,” Perlman said.