SANTA ANITA : Prized’s 1990 Debut to Be on Big ‘Cap Day, but He Will Not Run in the $1-Million Race

To the surprise of no one, Prized will make his 1990 debut a week from Sunday.

But it won’t be in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap. Rather, the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner and upsetter of Sunday Silence in the Swaps Stakes, will return in the $100,000 Arcadia Handicap, the day’s supporting feature.

According to Jeff Siegel, one of the heads of Clover Racing Stable, which owns the 4-year-old son of Kris S. in partnership, Prized’s schedule was thrown off by the recent rain.

“The rain cost him a work,” Siegel said. “He was supposed to work last Saturday, but he couldn’t. He’s training fine and he’s healthy, but he’s not ready to go a mile and a quarter.”

Prized, who might very well have been favored in the Big ‘Cap, breezed six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 Tuesday at Hollywood Park and galloped seven furlongs in 1:26 2/5.

The Arcadia, a mile on the turf, will also bring out Steinlen for the first time this year. Wayne Lukas’ horse hasn’t run since he won the Breeders’ Cup Mile, capping a year in which he was voted the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top grass performer. Another likely contestant is millionaire Music Merci.

Despite the defection of Prized, there is no change in Bayakoa’s status for the Santa Anita Handicap.

“We’ll just continue to take it one day at a time,” trainer Ron McAnally said. “There’s a lot of factors involved. It’s a hard decision to make right now.

“She’s been doing well and hasn’t missed any feed. She’s nice and relaxed. Hopefully, we’ll get there, and, who knows, it might rain again.”

Taken off the pace for the first time in his five-race career, Burnt Hills responded with a half-length victory over Shantin O. in the $82,800 Bolsa Chica Stakes Wednesday at Santa Anita.

The 3-year-old son of Conquistador Cielo, saved ground early under Eddie Delahoussaye, swung outside for the stretch run and collared Shantin O., the 5-1 third choice, in the final strides. He was timed in a solid 1:09 1/5 over a track that wasn’t particularly fast.

This was the third win in five starts for Bobby Frankel’s colt, who has been second in his two defeats.

“I thought he ran well and I thought Eddie rode him well,” said Frankel. “He’s a good horse. He fires every time and this is only his fifth start.”

Burnt Hills will try a longer race in his next start, possibly the San Felipe at a mile and a sixteenth March 18 or the Gotham at a mile in New York April 7.

Delahoussaye, who was riding Burnt Hills for the first time, said he had some anxious moments.

“He scared me,” the jockey said. “When he got up alongside (Shantin O.), he started to pull himself up. “Maybe, he doesn’t like to be hit.

“There was no plan to take him back, just to get him out and see where he was. . . . He relaxed well and was running easy. When I got him outside, he cut. He never jumped or anything and he had a lot of dirt hitting him for the first time. He rates well and he’s honest.”

Shantin O., who set or forced the pace throughout, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of 13-1 shot Keep Clear, who was five and a half lengths ahead of Real Cash, the more highly-regarded half of the Wayne Lukas entry that was the actual 17-10 favorite.

When it is run for the 51st time June 24, the Hollywood Gold Cup will carry a $1-million purse.

The increase was announced Wednesday and makes Hollywood Park the only track to regularly schedule two million-dollar races during a calendar year. The other is the Hollywood Futurity, which is run in December.

The Gold Cup, won last year by Blushing John, is the prime Inglewood objective for Sunday Silence, who will resume light training within the next two weeks. The 1989 horse of the year, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Nov. 16, is scheduled to return in the $300,000 Californian June 3.

Horse Racing Notes

Gary Stevens will ride Ruhlmann in the Santa Anita Handicap, one of two horses Charlie Whittingham will saddle for the race. The other is Lively One, the San Pasqual runner-up. . . . Laffit Pincay galloped some horses Wednesday morning and plans on riding Saturday. He has been out since breaking his collarbone in an accident during a harness racing exhibition Jan. 26.

Present Value, who is still being pointed for the Big ‘Cap despite a dismal effort in the San Antonio, worked six furlongs in 1:15 3/5 on the turf Wednesday morning. Also out was another Big ‘Cap possible, Hawkster. He worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5. . . . Robbie Davis had three winners Wednesday--Damazar, a first-time starter who was impressive taking the third; Crystal Pirate in the sixth, and River Master in the seventh. David Flores won twice, on Romaxe in the first and Pewter in the fifth.