Racing at Del Mar : Chapel of Dreams Follows Plan, Wins Palomar

It was five minutes after Chapel of Dreams had crossed the finish line a half-length ahead of favorite Short Sleeves in the $132,000 Palomar Handicap Saturday at Del Mar, and trainer Robert Frankel was trying to explain, as owner Theodore Sabarese stood by, why his filly hadn’t won her two previous starts.

Chapel of Dreams was beaten by a nose by Pen Bal Lady June 5 in the Gamely Handicap, and she finished third June 26 in the Beverly Hills Handicap, both at Hollywood Park.

Frankel said Chapel of Dreams should have won both but was unlucky.

“It was probably the trainer’s fault,” he said with a laugh.

That got Sabarese’s attention. He figured it was a safe time for Frankel to make such an admission.

“He always says that after a win,” Sabarese said. “He never says that after a loss.”

In front of 20,258 Saturday, Chapel of Dreams ran according to plan in the 1 1/16-mile feature race on turf. The plan, said Frankel, was to get the 4-year-old filly out in front early and hold off the expected late charge of Short Sleeves.

After faltering slightly out of the gate, Chapel of Dreams charged to the head of the pack and stayed there the rest of the way. Short Sleeves, a 6-year-old English-bred mare, stayed in the pack until the final 16th, then made a nice run but was unable to pull even.

Chapel of Dreams’ winning time was 1:42 3/5.

Winning jockey Eddie Delahoussaye was worried that his horse might tire after he brought her up to the front so quickly at the start. He expected pressure from Short Sleeves down the stretch.

“I’d ridden Short Sleeves last year, and I knew she’d be running at the end,” he said. “The way (Chapel of Dreams) was moving, unless something drastic happened, I knew she’d win. I felt like I had a lot of horse left. She does have a kick when you ask her.”

Short Sleeves is noted for her kick. Entering the race, she had won 5 of her past 6 races on the Del Mar turf. She began her racing career in Northern England, carrying lots of weight and having little success against mediocre competition. She wasn’t considered a standout horse when she was brought here from overseas.

Carrying less weight, she has fared well in the States, with 9 wins in 20 starts, all on the turf. Short Sleeves owner Darrell Vienna said before Saturday’s race he was concerned that she was carrying 121 pounds, four more than the next closest competitors, Chapel of Dreams and Davie’s Lamb. She only weighs 800 pounds. That, coupled with the race’s slow pace, may have made the difference.

Short Sleeve’s jockey, Russell Baze, said he thought his horse would catch Chapel of Dreams at the wire.

“As fast as I was running, I was sure I’d go by in the stretch, but the horse on the lead picked it right up,” he said.

Corey Black, jockey of third-place Davie’s Lamb, said: “Nobody’s going to beat the horse on the lead when they run the last 16th (that fast).”

Next on Chapel of Dreams’ agenda is the $200,000 Ramona Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race on the turf that was won by Short Sleeves in ’87. Frankel said his horse is good enough to challenge for the win.

“If there’s a better-bred filly running in the country today, I haven’t seen her. With any luck she could be undefeated here,” he said.

Chapel of Dreams paid $6.80, $2.80 and $2.60. Short Sleeves paid $2.60 and $2.40, and Davie’s Lamb paid $2.80.