SANTA ANITA / BOB MIESZERSKI : A Profitable Day for Delahoussaye

It was a big day for Eddie Delahoussaye--on and off the track.

After being absolved of blame by the stewards for the disqualification of Excellent Lady in Friday’s third race, Delahoussaye came through with four consecutive winners Saturday at Santa Anita.

The quadruple, that put him into a tie with Chris McCarron and Alex Solis atop the jockey standings, was completed when Stormy But Valid held off Survive’s late rally in the $84,100 Las Flores Breeders’ Cup Handicap before a crowd of 27,142.

Seeking his fourth consecutive riding title after leading at Del Mar, Oak Tree and Hollywood Park, Delahoussaye avoided a five-day suspension after meeting with the stewards Saturday morning to discuss Excellent Lady’s race.

“He (Delahoussaye) did switch sticks (change his whip from one hand to the other) and did make a reasonable effort to keep the horse straight,” steward Pete Pedersen said. “He only came in a foot or two. It was a very complicated decision because a lot was happening at the time.”

Shocked when the filly’s number came down Friday, Delahoussaye was delighted he wasn’t forced to take some time off.

“I was hoping I wouldn’t get a suspension because I thought I did all I could,” he said. “If they had given me days, I would have appealed (to the California Horse Racing Board). And I’ve never appealed a suspension before.

“Nobody hollered out there and, looking at the films, I thought (Ying N’ Yang, the runner-up Friday) shied away from my filly. We didn’t make any contact. I’m glad it worked out the way it did as far as them not suspending me.”

After failing with his first two mounts, Delahoussaye won the fifth with Phantom X, who bounced back nicely after finishing last in the Hollywood Futurity, the sixth on favored Indian Wind, who was fortunate to beat an unlucky Ltd Edition, the seventh aboard J.T.s Pet, who came from last, and then finished with Stormy But Valid.

Now perfect in three main track starts at Santa Anita, Stormy But Valid tracked pace-setters Warning Zone, Solid Eight and Josette early, took the lead inside the final furlong, then survived Survive’s charge to win by a head in a stakes record 1:08 1/5.

Owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel and trained by Brian Mayberry, the 4-year-old daughter of Valid Appeal has been a model of consistency. She now has six wins from 14 starts and has only been off the board twice.

“She’s a hard-trying little filly,” Delahoussaye said. “I could hear (track announcer) Trevor (Denman) calling the other horse and I said, ‘I better get after her.’ I’m glad the wire was there.

“But she was really digging in. She couldn’t have gone much faster. Brian’s really done a great job with her.”

Like Delahoussaye, Mayberry is off to a quick start at Santa Anita. The Las Flores was his fifth win in the first 10 days, putting him one up on Neil Drysdale, Ed Gregson, Jerry Fanning and Danny Velasquez in the trainer’s race.

“That’s cutting it close,” Mayberry said. “She loves this track and I thought she’d win today, but I didn’t know she was going to cause that little palpitation in my heart. She’s a genuine little filly--always gives her best. She’s kind of diminutive, but all heart.

“She does anything you want her to do. The track’s playing kind of fast, so I told Eddie I wanted her close to the pace.”

The team of Siegel and Mayberry has been a potent factor locally for several years. Stormy But Valid’s victory followed an impressive debut by T.V. Lord, a gelded son of Sir Gaylord, Friday.

“We try hard,” Mayberry said. “We’ve got a program that we follow and it’s paid off. Mr. Siegel let’s me have carte blanche. We look for good conformation and as much pedigree as we can afford.

“It takes a good combination to be successful. The right owner and right trainer hook up and it can be fun. We’ve been together about 14 years, so you know he’s a very patient man.”

Also partial to the track, Survive, the 5-1 fourth choice, just missed while being helped by the swift (:21 1/5 and :43 4/5) early fractions.

“One more jump,” rider Russell Baze said. “I’d just as soon get beat 100 lengths as a nose. She ran well. She’s a hard-trying little critter. She always tries.

“Too bad they didn’t write the race for six furlongs and one jump. Bad luck for me and good luck for Eddie.”

Warning Zone, the 9-5 favorite, was third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Survive, then came the Wayne Lukas pair of Love And Affection and Solid Eight, Josette and Polly’s Rumor.

Horse Racing Notes

Stormy But Valid returned $6.20 as the 2-1 second choice and earned $47,850 for her owners. . . . Malibu Stakes winner Music Merci worked seven furlongs in 1:25 4/5 Saturday morning for trainer Craig Lewis. The Stop The Music gelding is readying for a start in the $200,000 San Fernando a week from today. . . . Also working Saturday were Candi’s Gold and Hawkster. Coming back after a year at stud, Candi’s Gold went five furlongs in :58 3/5. He’ll run in the $100,000 San Carlos Handicap Saturday. Hawkster, preparing for the Charles H. Strub Stakes Feb. 4, worked six furlongs in 1:11 1/5.

Quiet American, who was most impressive in an allowance race last week, will bypass the San Fernando and make his next start in the Strub, trainer Gary Jones said. . . . Trainer Mike Mollica was fined $400 for a medication violation last month at Hollywood Park. Mollica’s Polysemous, who won the second race Dec. 23, was found to have been given butazolidin in excess of the permitted level. . . . Dominant Dancer, who was beaten 20 1/2 lengths in the Hollywood Futurity, has had a second blister applied to her troublesome shin and should be back in training late next month.