Stevens Rides Filly to Victory--at Hollywood Park

One day after winning the Kentucky Derby aboard the filly Winning Colors, jockey Gary Stevens returned to Hollywood Park Sunday to guide filly Chapel Of Dreams to a victory in the $109,700 Wilshire Handicap.

Chapel of Dreams rallied in the stretch to beat the Irish-bred Fitzwilliam Place by 1 3/4 lengths and set a stakes record of 1:39 2/5 for the 1 1/16-mile turf course. Another Irish-bred, Invited Guest, finished third 2 3/4 lengths back in the field of seven fillies and mares.

The elated Stevens declared: “I’m running on adrenaline. I feel fine now but I know in three or four hours it’s gonna let down quick and I’ll be exhausted.

“I’m not even aware of what the fractions were in the race. I just know my filly was running very comfortably where she was at and she moved into contention easy going into the turn.”

Chapel of Dreams, who went off at 5-1, returned $12.40, $6.80 and $4.80. Fitzwilliam Place, with Chris McCarron riding, paid $4.60 and $3.80. Invited Guest, with Bill Shoemaker, returned $4.40.

Shoemaker won the 1986 Kentucky Derby with Ferdinand and McCarron was aboard the winner last year, Alysheba.

After spending a sleepless night, Stevens flew back to the West Coast Sunday morning, managing to get a few winks en route and was napping in the jockey room prior to the afternoon card.

Cheered by the crowd of 30,485 as he appeared for his first ride in the second race, the 25-year-old jockey finished second with Proving Spark and won the third with Rose’s Cantina, a 7-1 shot.

He rode two third-place finishers in the fourth and fifth races before riding Chapel of Dreams to a victory worth $64,700.

The filly is owned by Theodore M. Sabrese of East Hanover, N.J. It was her fourth victory in 10 outings and boosted her lifetime earnings to $214,050.