An Empress Makes Impression, Coming From Last to Win Honeymoon

Trainer Laz Barrera is not exactly a novice when it comes to horse racing, so it would seem logical that any horse he runs deserves more than passing attention.

The crowd of 29,205 at Hollywood Park Sunday afternoon forgot that and allowed An Empress to go to the post in the $100,000-added Honeymoon Handicap as only its fifth choice.

The fans, to judge by the way they distributed their money, thought more highly of Nature’s Way, Valley Victory, Arewehavingfunyet and Puzzle Book than they did of Barrera’s filly.

They quickly learned their mistake. Coming from last place in the field of 10, An Empress, given a calculated ride by Patrick Valenzuela, won the Grade III race by a head from Top Corsage, ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye. Miraculous, with Gary Stevens up, finished third, 2 3/4 lengths back.

The 3-year-old daughter of Affirmed out of Blondy covered the 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:41 4/5 to earn $66,900 for her owners, Louis and Patrice Wolfson of Harbor View Farm. She paid $14.00, $7.80 and $4.60. Top Corsage paid $9.00 and $4.80, while Miraculous paid $5.00.

The chestnut filly has failed to finish in the money only once in 11 lifetime starts and was coming off a gallant second-place finish behind Nature’s Way in the Senorita Stakes on April 30. That race, her first on turf, was what set her up for Sunday’s winning effort, Valenzuela said.

In the Senorita, An Empress appeared headed for victory before tiring slightly in the stretch and being beaten by a length. On Sunday, she did not tire, even though racing somewhat wide.

“She finished good today. She held on gamely,” Valenzuela said, adding that he followed Barrera’s instructions and kept the filly well off the pace. “She broke real good. I just didn’t rush her. She dropped in behind horses, saved ground on the first turn and went a little bit wide on the second turn. But she finished strong.”

Barrera said the race went according to plan.

“We took her back today to let her relax from behind and then made one run with her,” he said. “The first day I saw her I knew she was going to be a good filly.”

Now, Hollywood Park fans know, too.

Horse Racing Notes Attendance at Hollywood Park has fallen by more than 15% so far this meeting. Through the first 20 dates in the 1985 spring-summer meeting, attendance totaled 524,702, an average of 26,235. Through the same period this year, the total stands at 444,434 and the average at 22,221. . . . Chris McCarron brought Sabona home first in the $75,000-added Triple Bend Handicap, the eighth race on Sunday’s card. The 4-year-old bay colt owned by Sir Ernest Harrison and trained by John Gosden covered the seven furlongs in 1:21 to edge out Innamorato, ridden by Frank Olivares. Olivares claimed his horse was interfered with in the stretch by McCarron, but stewards ruled against him after an inquiry. French Legionaire, with Rafael Maze up, finished third.

Zany Tactics, ridden by Jack Kaenel, continued his impressive ways by winning the $40,000-added Night Mover Handicap, run as the fifth race Sunday. In 15 lifetime starts, the 5-year-old bay gelding has never finished worse than fourth. Trained by Blake Heap, Zany Tactics has six victories, five seconds and two thirds. . . . Melair, with Patrick Valenzuela up, established a track record for six furlongs by winning the sixth race in 1:08 3/5.

Alex Solis, winner of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes at Pimlico aboard Snow Chief, returned to California and to reality Sunday. Solis had seven mounts but failed to finish in the money even once. . . . A horse is a horse, of course, of course, unless the horse is trained by Charlie Whittingham, in which case, who knows? It seems the Whittingham-trained Plum Certain, who finished second in Saturday’s sixth race, was listed in the program as a colt when in fact it is a gelding. The Hollywood Park racing office will be asking Whittingham about the discrepancy when the trainer returns from Pimlico today, a track spokesman said.