SANTA ANITA : Materco Surprises Breeders’ Rivals

At one point, Materco’s trainer was prepared to skip Wednesday’s $138,500 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes.

“I was going to run her a mile in an allowance race,” Mark MacDonald said.

But after thinking it over, MacDonald chose to run the 3-year-old Interco filly in the seven-furlong stakes restricted to California-breds.

Now he’s glad he did.

Materco, with Eddie Delahoussaye in the saddle, took hold late in the race and sprang a 15-1 surprise before a crowd of 14,485 at Santa Anita.

In covering the distance in 1:22 1/5, owner W.R. Hawn’s filly defeated pace setter Miss Fire Dancer by a length and provided her 33-year-old trainer with his first stakes triumph.

Victorious in only one of her previous six starts, Materco had finished third in the Oak Leaf last October and a piece of the purse appeared to be the most MacDonald and Hawn could have expected Wednesday.

Not so, at least on MacDonald’s part.

“I was more nervous than usual today because I really felt she had a big shot,” he said. “She’s a lot better than she’s ever been. She’s 100 pounds heavier and she’s matured quite a bit.

“Plus, I thought it was a good spot for her. There was a lot of speed in there. I thought seven furlongs might be too short for her, but she did win going five furlongs.”

Delahoussaye, who won twice Wednesday, also noticed a difference in Materco from the filly he had ridden last summer at Del Mar.

“I worked her last week and told Mark she’s a different filly and would run well,” he said. “Mark’s done a great job with her.

“She broke slow and I just sat and waited until the three-eighths pole. I called on her and she came smoking. She showed ability at Del Mar, but she was immature.”

Miss Fire Dancer, the 3-1 second choice, had a length and a half at the eighth pole, but couldn’t hold off Materco. She finished second, almost three lengths ahead of For My Mom, the 7-5 favorite.

“She gave it everything she had,” said jockey Gary Boulanger of the runner-up, who had :22, :44 3/5 and 1:09 3/5 fractions. “She just got outrun. I was very confident and she beat ‘em all but one. She ran a big race.”

For My Mom came through the gate before the start, then didn’t show the speed she had in her previous two outings. She finished almost three lengths ahead of Bel’s Starlet, who faltered badly after making a strong move into the stretch.

“She didn’t really break through the gate,” said Robbie Davis, the rider of the public choice. “The door was open. But it’s still kind of the kiss of death.

“She might not have handled the track as well as at Hollywood Park. But she still ran well. She’s a nice filly.”

Despite rumors to the contrary, Wayne Lukas says all is well with Grand Canyon.

There were rumbles that the impressive winner of the Hollywood Futurity had recently bowed a tendon, but Lukas says his prime hope for the Kentucky Derby is the picture of health.

“He’s fine,” he said. “We wanted to give him 30 days, so we’ll bring him back around (Jan. 25). Then, he should have his first work about Feb. 1.”

Grand Canyon, who won twice after finishing second to Rhythm in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, will make his 1990 debut March 18 in the San Felipe Handicap, the same race Sunday Silence won before his Santa Anita and Kentucky Derby victories.

Magical Mile, who was unbeaten in two starts as a 2-year-old, will work three furlongs today, his first workout since he suffered a hairline fracture of his knee last summer.

“He’s had a couple of slow quarters,” said trainer Warren Stute. “He could run again at the end of February.”

A son of J.O. Tobin, Magical Mile ran five furlongs in :56 2/5 in breaking his maiden last May, then came back to win the Hollywood Juvenile by four lengths.

Bayakoa, who completed a sterling 1989 with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, worked five furlongs in :58 3/5 Wednesday morning. The Argentine mare will make her 1990 debut Feb. 18 in the Santa Margarita, a race she won last year.

Also working were Splurger and Flying Continental, both of whom are preparing for the San Fernando Stakes a week from Sunday. They both went six furlongs, Splurger going 1:24 1/5, two ticks faster than Flying Continental.

Horse Racing Notes

The Bay Meadows Oaks Jan. 20 is the next scheduled stop for Materco, who earned $82,250 Wednesday and returned $33.20. . . . The owner-trainer duo of Allen Paulson and Richard Lundy should be two for two at Santa Anita, but instead they’re still looking for their first win. Opening Verse was much the best when beaten Sunday, and Wednesday, Samoan lost all chance when he was blocked nearing the wire as it appeared he was on his way to victory in the seventh race. . . . Alex Solis won twice Wednesday and is tied with Gary Stevens atop the jockey standings. Each has 10 wins through the first seven days.