Horse Racing : Easy Goer Will Have to Take On Older Horses

Shug McGaughey has been fortunate that his barn has been deep in talent in most divisions this year. Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer is about the only important McGaughey runner who has escaped injury.

Because of circumstances, Easy Goer has been pushed into an unlikely role--McGaughey’s wild-card substitute. An ankle injury to Seeking the Gold, who was expected to be McGaughey’s best older horse, has thrust Easy Goer into the job of running outside the 3-year-old division in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 5. McGaughey had planned to run Easy Goer against 3-year-olds until fall.

Dancing Spree might have been McGaughey’s candidate for the Whitney, after his victory over some members of the weak handicap division in the Suburban at Belmont Park on July 4. But Dancing Spree, a son of Nijinsky II, has grass breeding, and McGaughey still thinks he will run well on the turf. As a 3-year-old last year, however, Dancing Spree was winless in six grass starts.

Dancing Spree is one of those McGaughey horses who showed only ordinary talent initially. Awe Inspiring is another example, and while he is not in the same league with Easy Goer, he is still part of a large group of horses that make up the 3-year-old division’s second echelon.

Dancing Spree probably cost his more highly regarded stablemate, Seeking the Gold, a victory in the Metropolitan Handicap. While they battled down the stretch, Proper Reality came through on the rail and beat them both in a three-horse photo finish.

Awe Inspiring, good enough to finish third in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Belmont besides winning the Jersey Derby, is another McGaughey horse who’s been unlucky. Scheduled to go to Chicago to run in this Saturday’s Arlington Classic, Awe Inspiring has remained in New York, where he suffered a minor injury this week. There was a storm at Belmont Park; Awe Inspiring reared in his stall and was injured.

With Easy Goer out of the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 29, King Glorious, the winner of the Ohio Derby and a horse who has lost only once in his life, becomes the major contender. At 1 1/8 miles, the Haskell is well within the capabilities of King Glorious, whose stamina has been questioned at longer distances.

Music Merci, a distant third in the St. Paul Derby, becomes a viable candidate for the Haskell with Easy Goer not running. Trainer Craig Lewis’ other option is to stay home and try to beat Sunday Silence at 1 1/4 miles in the Swaps at Hollywood Park a week from Sunday.

Some thoroughbred horsemen reluctantly went along with Hollywood Park in switching its day card to night on July 21, when the track will honor Bill Shoemaker, who will retire early next year.

The quarter-horse trainers at Los Alamitos didn’t get a vote, but many of them are unhappy because July 21 is the same night they’re running the Los Alamitos Derby.

In effect, Hollywood Park is competing with itself that night, since the track also owns Los Alamitos. Last year, when Hollywood ran a special night program to mark its 50th anniversary, business was off about 10% at Los Alamitos.

Both thoroughbred and quarter-horse trainers are concerned that these two night programs could lead to regular evening racing at Hollywood Park. Bay Meadows, which opens next month, will feature twilight racing on Fridays and apparently needs no special permission from the California Horse Racing Board, which views a dinner-time first post as daytime racing.

The quarter-horse trainers would be opposed to competing against the thoroughbreds on a regular basis; thoroughbred trainers are against night racing because it would mean longer hours and the hiring of extra help.

Twilight racing would be better for many fans at Hollywood Park, because they wouldn’t have to face rush-hour traffic after the last race. On a weekday, a trip across town after Hollywood’s last race can take as long as 90 minutes.

When the state lottery began in Kentucky this year, there was a tie-in with the Kentucky Derby, so the advertising agency that had the account developed a television commercial with a horse-farm theme.

Kentucky traditionalists had a difficult time swallowing the fact that the spot featured a corny “talking” horse, but they were more indignant because the commercial had been obviouslyfilmed at a farm outside Kentucky. The footage was shot in Ocala, Fla.

The spot also identified the horse as a Kentucky Derby winner, which was only close. Laser Light, the horse used in the commercial, finished second to Gato Del Sol in the 1982 Kentucky Derby.

Goodbye Halo, who has finished second to Bayakoa three straight times, will try to turn the tables Saturday in the $200,000 Vanity Handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Hollywood Park.

Bayakoa will carry 125 pounds, three more than Goodbye Halo, and not many other fillies or mares are expected to challenge them.

On Sunday, Ruhlmann is expected to be the starting high weight, at 122 pounds, in the $300,000 Bel Air Handicap at a mile. Laffit Pincay, Hollywood’s leading rider, has a chance to sweep the weekend while riding both Bayakoa and Ruhlmann.

Horse Racing Notes

Hilco Scamper, the 6-year-old thoroughbred sprinter who has been running against quarter horses this season at Los Alamitos, won his first race there by capturing last Saturday’s Jeep Challenge Handicap--an 870-yard race--by a neck. Gary Stevens came over from Hollywood Park for the mount. . . . Gorgeous’ victory in the Hollywood Oaks came at the right time. Her dam, Kamar, has a filly by Danzig who will be sold at Keeneland later this month.

Del Mar will offer two triples when the season opens on July 26. There will be a triple on the third, fourth and fifth races and fans will also have the chance to pick the winners of the sixth, seventh and eighth races. . . . Forest Fealty, who ran seventh as the favorite in last Saturday’s Landaluce at Hollywood, has been sidelined because of a shin injury. . . . Philadelphia Park, part of the struggling racing empire of Robert Brennan, has been sold for $63 million to an English group that hopes to use the track as the flagship for an off-track betting network in Pennsylvania.