HOLLYWOOD PARK : Spill Helps Stylish Winner Get Win

At best, Stylish Winner should have been third in the $111,500 On Trust Handicap Thursday at Hollywood Park.

Instead, the 5-year-old Obraztsovy gelding ended a 14-race losing streak, dating to May of last year, with a 9-1 upset in the Thanksgiving affair limited to California breds.

In truth, the On Trust should have belonged either to Bruho or Mr. Bolg, two of five 3-year-olds in the race and the top two betting choices of the 18,496.

Seemingly full of run while clear with less than a quarter of a mile to go, Bruho suddenly ducked out, throwing Laffit Pincay. In the process, he caused Eddie Delahoussaye and Mr. Bolg to lose their momentum.

There were no problems for Stylish Winner, who was up by a nose in 1:34 1/5 for the mile, although Robbie Davis said trainer Bruce Headley’s veteran did try to pull himself up.

This wasn’t the first time Bruho had staged such antics. As a 2-year-old in 1988, he cost himself a victory in Del Mar’s Balboa Stakes when he did exactly the same thing, unseating Gary Stevens.

Stevens, in fact, said he was aboard for a recent work where Bruho did his thing, prompting him to strongly suggest to trainer Julio Canani he put blinkers back on the son of Naevus. Canani opted to leave him hoodless, Stevens chose to ride He’s A Saros in the On Trust, opening the mount for Pincay.

Pincay wasn’t hurt--he rode in the day’s final race--and he’ll be aboard Bruho again when he returns a week from Saturday, blinkers in place, in the Affirmed Handicap.

“I hit him once and he was OK, but when I went to hit him again, that’s when he did it,” Pincay said. “The way he was going I think he would have won. He was running very strongly. He went one way and I went the other. It happened so suddenly.”

Delahoussaye, who was atop the 8-5 favorite, was glad he was able to avoid the fallen jockey.

“I just missed him,” he said. “It probably cost me the race. I had to snatch up and that broke his momentum.”

Despite his few victories, Stylish Winner has made a nice living running second and third.

His $66,500 check Thursday boosted his bankroll to $546,450. Earlier this year, he had finished third in the San Pasqual Handicap, the longshot-dominated Santa Anita Handicap and the Pomona Invitational and was second in the Phil D. Shepherd at Fairplex Park.

Gum, a 20-1 outsider, was third in the On Trust, a bit more than a length behind Mr. Bolg, then came the maiden On The Menu, Reconnoitering, Variety Road, Courageous Pirate and He’s A Saros.

Pranke, who tore the suspensories in his left foreleg in the closing-day Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Oak Tree, is recuperating nicely at UC Davis.

The upset winner of the Sunset last July, Pranke was beginning his rally when he went wrong. Pincay, who is convinced the 5-year-old was going to be no worse than second in the Burke, said it took him almost an eighth of a mile to pull Pranke up.

“He’s doing well,” trainer Ed Gregson said. “He’s under the care of Dr. J.D. Wheat up there. Every week or 10 days, a new brace will be built for the horse (to continue the healing process.)”

In about 30 days, Wheat will put a steel plate between the cannon bone and the ankle to help fuse the joint. “They’ll remove the cartilage from the joint and go ahead and plate it. He’s going to be fine. He’s been an amazingly good patient. He’ll be up there 60-75 days.”

As soon as the son of Cipayo is able to travel, he’ll return to his native Argentina and begin stud duties at owner-breeder Hector Sanchez’s farm.

Speaking of Gregson, Thursday’s On Trust Handicap brought back memories of 1986 winner Super Diamond, who didn’t have much trouble at 1-5 that afternoon.

Retired after the recurrence of one of his many injuries after the Santa Anita Handicap last March, the gelding is enjoying a life of leisure.

“I saw him at the (owners Roland and Ramona) Sahm’s home (in Rancho Santa Fe)),” Gregson said. “He’s in a three-acre paddock. I looked at him over the fence and he looked as happy as a lark. I couldn’t believe how good he looked.

“Usually, when he went to the farm, he didn’t do well. But, he’s never been turned out at their place. Maybe, he’s happy to be home. I miss him. There won’t be anybody else like him.”

Chicago-based trainer Neil Boyce, who returned to California with a bang Wednesday afternoon, will start highweight Valid Vixen in the $108,400 Silver Belles Handicap this afternoon.

A winner of nine of 19 lifetime starts and earner of nearly $471,000, Valid Vixen will carry 120 pounds in the mile and an eighth Grade II against six rivals.

To be ridden by Delahoussaye, the 4-year-old Valid Appeal filly has won four of her last five, including stakes victories at Sportsmans Park and Hawthorne. The last time she started in southern California, she finished second behind My Miss Brooks in a Santa Anita allowance sprint last March.

The horses she’ll have to beat include Approved To Fly, a 3-year-old who upset Affirmed Classic in the recent Linda Vista Handicap at Oak Tree and Invited Guest, who switches to the main track after winning on the grass last week for Richard Mandella.

The other entrants are Lady Annabelle, Corvettin, Saros Brig, back from an unsuccessful Florida invasion and Lucky Song, who will be making her initial appearance on the dirt.

Boyce, who won the 1988 On Trust with Calestoga, scored with 2-year-old maiden Farma Way in Wednesday’s sixth race. Ninth, beaten a bit more than 11 lengths in his August debut at Arlington Park, the Marfa colt won by five lengths in his local debut and covered the six and a half furlongs in 1:15 3/5, the fastest race of the meeting so far at the distance and only three-fifths off the track record.

“Neil told me that he told the rider in his first race to take him off the lead a little,” said Ray Sibille, who was aboard Wednesday. “He said he just got wore out on the lead and that he could really run, that he was a lot better than that race. He really ran well. He’s a big, good-looking horse with good action. I was right down on the rail and that didn’t seem to bother him at all.”