Weekend Racing at Hollywood Park : Ferdinand and Snow Chief Hook Up Again in Californian

It’s Snow Chief and Ferdinand, Ferdinand and Snow Chief. And at the wire it’s . . .

Would you believe Iron Eyes?

Well, probably not, but it does serve to show that Sunday’s $300,000 Grade I Californian at Hollywood Park figures to be more than a two-horse race.

An exceptionally strong field of nine has been entered in the 1 1/8- mile test over the main track, but it is Ferdinand and Snow Chief who have attracted the most attention. The two seem almost inseparable.

They proved the point again Friday morning, when they drew the Nos. 1 and 2 posts for Sunday’s race. Ferdinand will be on the rail, with Snow Chief immediately to his right.

The Californian will be the ninth meeting between last year’s Kentucky Derby winner and 1986’s champion 3-year-old. The edge belongs to trainer Mel Stute’s Snow Chief, who has finished ahead of his rival five times, winning four of the races.

Ferdinand, trained by Charlie Whittingham, has had the better of Snow Chief on three occasions, winning twice. This is how their rivalry has gone:

--They first met as 2-year-olds in 1985 in the Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park--Sunday’s race will be their first meeting at the Inglewood track since then--with Snow Chief winning by more than six lengths and Ferdinand finishing third.

--In the Santa Anita Derby the following spring, Snow Chief again won with ease, reaching the wire six lengths in front, with Ferdinand another length back in third.

--The Kentucky Derby belonged to Ferdinand as jockey Bill Shoemaker threaded Mrs. Howard B. Keck’s colt through the field at Churchill Downs to give Whittingham his first Derby triumph. Snow Chief finished a disappointing 11th.

--Two weeks later, in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, the pair again hooked up, with Snow Chief this time getting the victory by four lengths over second-place Ferdinand.

--Their final meeting of 1986 was in the Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita in December, when Ferdinand won by more than a length, with Snow Chief second.

--In their first five meetings, one or the other won, but that changed with their first clash of 1987. Variety Road took the San Fernando Stakes, with Broad Brush second, Snow Chief third and Ferdinand fourth.

--Three weeks later, the two horses provided possibly the best race of the Santa Anita meeting when they finished 1-2 in the Charles H. Strub Stakes, Snow Chief winning by a nose. Broad Brush was third.

--For luckless Ferdinand, the same outcome would apply in the Santa Anita Handicap. This time it was Broad Brush who beat him by the shortest of noses in a photo finish, with Snow Chief a fading fifth.

And that’s where it stands. Sunday, either horse could be first to the wire, but in a field that includes five millionaires and five Grade I winners, anything can happen.

Ferdinand and Snow Chief are far from being the only name horses in the race. Also running are such powerful threats as Tasso, 1985’s champion 2-year-old and winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that year, and millionaires Nostalgia’s Star and Al Mamoon, the latter coming off an impressive victory in the John Henry Handicap last month.

The field, in order of post position and including jockey and weight: Ferdinand, Bill Shoemaker, 126 pounds; Snow Chief, Alex Solis, 126; Tasso, Laffit Pincay, 116; Grecian Wonder, Gary Stevens, 115; Nostalgia’s Star, Fernando Toro, 122; Sabona, Chris McCarron, 115; Judge Angeluci, Gary Baze, 118; Al Mamoon, Pat Valenzuela, 124, and Iron Eyes, Eddie Delahoussaye, 115.

If all nine go to the post, the race will be worth $330,200, with the winner earning $195,200.