Breeders’ Cup Notebook : Stewards Are Overruled; Color Paulson a Winner

The Bert Firestone-Allen Paulson soap opera plays on and on.

After the stewards at Hollywood Park announced Thursday that Theatrical, the favorite in Saturday’s $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf Stakes, would run in Firestone’s colors, they wereoverruled by the California Horse Racing Board, which said that Theatrical should run in Paulson’s colors.

Paulson, hearing of the stewards’ decision, had appealed to the board, and its chairman, Paul Deats, polled the other six members. The majority favored Paulson.

Paulson owns 50% of Theatrical and wants the horse to run in his colors. But Firestone, who reportedly owns only 12 1/2%, retained managerial rights to the horse’s career when Paulson bought his share.

The stewards also said Thursday that Theatrical would run in the name of both Paulson and Firestone. Theatrical has been running in only Firestone’s name in New York, which limits the ownership listing to one person or stable name.

Besides the seven Breeders’ Cup races Saturday, there are two $100,000 stakes at Hollywood--the Somethingroyal and Affirmed handicaps.

Le L’Argent carries top weight of 120 pounds in the Somethingroyal for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Seven others were entered.

In the one-mile Affirmed on dirt, 14 were entered, including Irish Bear at 121 pounds and Fast Forward at 120.

Milligram, the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, has a bruised foot, but trainer Michael Stoute said she will still run. Milligram worked a half-mile in :52 3/5 Thursday.

Trempolino, the Arc de Triomphe winner who is running in the Turf, and Highest Honor, an entrant in the Mile, arrived from France and are expected to clear quarantine this afternoon.

In some recent workouts, Sprint favorite Groovy went three furlongs in an impressive :34 1/5, Classic contender Alysheba ran a half-mile in :47 3/5, and Gulch, another Classic starter, was clocked in :46 1/5.

Jose Santos rode two winners Thursday at Hollywood, including Bold Archon in the eighth race. The attendance was 12,510, and about 3,500 bet the races at the off-track facilities in Del Mar, San Bernardino and Ventura.