HOLLYWOOD PARK : Stylish King 4th, Will Skip Futurity

So much for the notion that the $80,350 Hollywood Prevue Stakes was a mere formality for Stylish King on his way to the Dec. 16 Hollywood Futurity.

Heavily favored to win the seven-furlong prep for the $1-million mile, the highly publicized 2-year-old son of Roberto finished fourth in the field of six Wednesday as Individualist I rallied to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

A 4 1/2-length winner in his first start, after working five furlongs in :57 2/5, Stylish King will not go in next week’s Grade I event, or in any other race for a while.

“He got outrun, and we’ve got to find a reason for it,” trainer Jay Robbins said. “I don’t plan on running him back in the Futurity. He probably needs a little time to settle down.”

Eddie Delahoussaye said he could tell something wasn’t quite right on the backstretch.

“Jay is going to check out his shins,” Delahoussaye said. “They might be bugging him. He just kind of went even. He didn’t switch leads until about the eighth pole. He ran a little green and he tried to get out with me on the turn. He’s a nice colt and he didn’t run his race today.”

Those who didn’t think Stylish King would win the Prevue leaned toward Tarascon, but he had to settle for third place after battling on the lead with runner-up Top Cash.

A troubled second in the B.J. Ridder Stakes on Nov. 11 at Santa Anita, Individualist I worked well locally, then Wednesday drew off in the final sixteenth to score in 1:22 1/5, a second off King Glorious’ stakes record.

“Going into the race, I thought the distance would be better for Individualist I,” said trainer David Hofmans, who also handles Tarascon.

“When the post positions came out, I thought that Tarascon was at a disadvantage. Being in the No. 1 hole, he would have to show some speed and he got trapped down in there. I thought he ran a helluva race to finish third because the inside was a little deep today.

“The idea with Individualist I was to stay behind the speed, but I put a little speed in him to keep him a little closer. So, it worked out about right. Tarascon won’t run back in the Futurity, but I’ll talk to (owner) Mr. (John) Mabee tomorrow, and we’ll see about putting up the money for Individualist I.”

Since he wasn’t nominated to the Futurity, the son of Bel Bolide would have to be supplemented for $50,000.

Robbie Davis, who rode the gelding for the first time, thinks it would be a sound investment.

“I’d have to think he’d have a good, strong chance in the Futurity,” Davis said. “He’s got a real long stride and he was just reaching out at the end today. I don’t think this race took a lot out of him.”

Equipped with blinkers and a shadow roll, Bruho worked five furlongs in :58 2/5 between the third and fourth races.

Forced to perform for the stewards after he ducked out and unseated Laffit Pincay while leading in the On Trust Handicap on Thanksgiving Day, the 3-year-old Naeuvs gelding had Corey Black aboard Wednesday. He was hoodless when he pulled his stunt in the On Trust.

Before the workout, trainer Julio Canani was asked to sign an agreement releasing Hollywood Park from “any liability, claims, damages or causes of action arising, or allegedly arising, from the decision to work Bruho.”

The release also asked Canani to acknowledge that Bruho is on the stewards’ list because he has demonstrated a “propensity to duck out or bolt” in the course of racing or working and that Canani would fully assume the risk of any damage or injury to either Black, who also signed, or Bruho during the gelding’s afternoon exercise.

Alwuhush, who undoubtedly would have been the favorite in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup Sunday, will skip the Grade I race because of an ankle problem.

“He hurt his right ankle in his last race at Santa Anita (the Carleton F. Burke Handicap on Nov. 13) when he jumped suddenly while crossing from the grass to the dirt,” trainer Angel Penna said.

The problem seemed to be under control, but after Alwuhush’s 1:27 seven-furlong workout on Friday, some heat developed. “We don’t want to take any chances,” Penna said. “He’ll go back to Florida on Saturday.”

While the 1 1/2-mile Turf Cup lost Alwuhush, it gained Yankee Affair. The 7-year-old gelding, who has banked more than $1.2 million this year, arrived at Hollywood Park Wednesday morning.

A winner in five of 12 starts in 1989, Yankee Affair has been idle since finishing second to Caltech, another Turf Cup probable starter, in the Budweiser International at Laurel on Oct. 22.

The rest of the field is likely to include Burke runner-up Frankly Perfect, Hollywood Derby upsetter Live the Dream, Hello Calder, Pleasant Variety, Santangelo, Star Lift and Ten Keys. Kent Desormeaux, who surpassed Chris McCarron’s record for most winners in a year when he picked up No. 547 last week, will ride Ten Keys.

Frankly Perfect’s owners, Bruce McNall and Wayne Gretzky of the Kings, have a new partner in the 4-year-old Perrault colt. Sylvester Stallone is scheduled to be licensed today and he has also purchased an interest in two other McNall-Gretzky thoroughbreds, Golden Pheasant and Shining Steel.

Horse Racing Notes

Kenny Black is no longer the agent for his brother, Corey Black. John DeSantis, who was Kenny’s agent at one time, has taken over. DeSantis has also been employed by Sandy Hawley and Fernando Toro, among others. . . . Individualist I paid $11.20 to win as the 9-2 third choice and has won three of his five starts. . . . Angel Cordero, who was nowhere with Stella Madrid in the Starlet, will be back to ride likely choice Grand Canyon in the Futurity for Wayne Lukas. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover of $55,563.99 for today. . . . Chris McCarron had three winners and Russell Baze two Wednesday.