Arlington Million : Jolley Pulls Vasquez Off Manila

LeRoy Jolley, the trainer who is capable of changing jockeys for his important horses at the drop of a whip, has replaced Jacinto Vasquez with Angel Cordero on Manila only days before the 4-year-old colt runs as the 6-5 favorite in Sunday’s Budweiser-Arlington Million.

At entry time Friday, it was announced that Cordero, who has also been in and out of Jolley’s doghouse, would ride Manila, and Vasquez, talking by telephone from Belmont Park, said that he had been replaced because of a running disagreement with Jolley about riding horses for morning workouts.

A tipoff that the switch might be coming occurred Thursday, when Manila went through his final tuneup for the 1-mile Arlington Park grass race by working five-eighths of a mile in a minute flat. The day before, Mike Shannon, Manila’s principal owner, had said that Vasquez would fly here from New York to ride in the workout, but instead the 1986 American grass champion was handled by Phil Licata, one of Jolley’s regular exercise riders.

On Friday, after the expected nine horses were entered for the Million, Shannon indicated that the change from Vasquez to Cordero was strictly Jolley’s decision. Jolley, back at Belmont Park where his stable is headquartered, was not available for comment.

“We’re looking for new life, we’re trying to pump new blood into the horse,” Shannon said.

On Wednesday, while he was saying that Vasquez would be here the next day to work Manila, Shannon added that he had no criticism of Vasquez’s ride on the horse in the Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 16. Manila, winner of nine straight and the 1-3 favorite, finished second to Talakeno in a major upset.

Vasquez has ridden Manila in all four of his starts this year--the first three stakes wins at Keeneland, Churchill Downs and Atlantic City.

Friday, the usually vociferous Shannon gave short answers to questions about Cordero’s taking over.

“I had no complaints about any of the rides by Vasquez,” Shannon said. “Cordero was the only other rider that the trainer considered for the mount.”

Cordero is the leading rider in the country with more than $7.1 million in purses, but a more likely replacement aboard Manila might have been Jose Santos, who beat out 11-time champion Cordero for the riding title at the recent Saratoga meeting. Santos, second to Cordero in the national standings with $6.7 million in purses, rode Manila for his final five stakes wins last year, giving him a brilliant ride in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Stakes at Santa Anita in November.

Santos doesn’t have a mount in the Million, but he reportedly fell out of favor with Shannon and was replaced by Vasquez this year. There apparently was a dispute over the way Santos’ agent was billing owners for their jockey fees.

Jolley has long been known for frequently moving his jockeys around. Cordero, for example, lost the mount on Gulch, a candidate for this year’s Kentucky Derby, after a questionable ride in a February Hialeah prep race that left Jolley disconsolate. Santos, who may be in disfavor with Shannon but not Jolley, is riding Gulch today in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes at Belmont.

Vasquez has been one of Jolley’s favorite riders through the years. They won the Kentucky Derby with Foolish Pleasure and Genuine Risk and Vasquez also rode General Assembly, who won the Travers Stakes for Jolley.

“We had a difference over some of the things that have been going on in the mornings,” Vasquez said. “Jolley had about 20 horses that he wanted me to work for him at Belmont this week, and I didn’t show up. Why should I? I’m only riding two of them in races, so why should I work them? Anyhow, when I wasn’t there, he told me I couldn’t ride Manila.”

There was a similar disagreement between Vasquez and Jolley last month at Saratoga.

“He had about 30 horses there and wanted me to work them,” Vasquez said. “But it was the same thing. I only had the chance to ride two of them.”

One of those horses is Stately Don, who is scheduled to run at Arlington Park Monday in the $150,000 Secretariat Stakes.

“I think I’m still on that horse,” Vasquez said. “But that’s only because the owner would want me.”

The owner of Stately Don is Mike Shannon, who may put his foot down with that horse but who apparently is acquiescing with Manila.

“Cordero has ridden Manila two or three times,” Shannon said rather pointedly Friday. “And he’s got no wins.”

Cordero rode Manila twice, late in 1985, and finished second both times. But that was when Manila was still a maiden, and before Jolley started him on a grass career that has been almost flawless.

Horse Racing Notes The field for the Million, in post-position order, with jockeys and morning line odds: Forlitano, Gary Baze, 15-1; Sharrood, Laffit Pincay, 12-1; Manila, Angel Cordero, 6-5; Dance of Life, Randy Romero, 4-1; Theatrical, Pat Day, 5-2; Spellbound, Sandy Hawley, 30-1; Rivlia, Chris McCarron, 15-1; Explosive Darling, Earlie Fires, 20-1; and Glaros, Jean-Luc Samyn, 30-1. All will carry 126 pounds. Although Forlitano and Rivlia are both trained by Charlie Whittingham, a situation that usually means the horses run coupled for betting purposes in Illinois, they have special permission to run as separate wagering interests in the Million.

The $500,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity, a race for 2-year-olds that has been overshadowed by the Million in recent years, will be run today, with Tejano the heavy favorite in a field of seven. Tejano won the Sapling at Monmouth Park in his last start. Others running are Word Pirate, Jim’s Orbit, Yukon Joey, Bob’s Debut, Native Stalwart and Toga Dancer. . . . The 11-memberClover Racing Stable, winner of the Del Mar Oaks with Lizzy Hare last Sunday, has bought a 50% interest in Word Pirate for an undisclosed sum. Word Pirate, a son of Verbatim, is on a three-race winning streak, including a neck victory over Native Stalwart in the Arch Ward Stakes at Arlington Aug. 16.

Jose Santos rode favored Persian Mews to a three-length win over Mister C. Friday in the $150,000 Arlington Budweiser Breeders’ Cup.