Adjudicating Will Get 1st 1990 Test Saturday

Trainer Shug McGaughey says it is time to find out about Adjudicating, so he has decided that the 3-year-old thoroughbred will make his first start of the year on Saturday in the $50,000-added Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The one-mile event should be an excellent test for Adjudicating, because the field of eight includes Karen’s Tom, Tarascon and Dotsero.

Adjudicating, owned by Ogden Mills Phipps, was one of the top five 2-year-olds in the country last year. He won four of his first seven starts, including the Grade I Champagne and the Grade I Cowdin, both at Belmont. In his final start of 1989, Adjudicating was beaten 16 lengths by stablemate Rhythm in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. But Adjudicating encountered traffic problems in that race.

The son of Danzig worked in Florida last week and arrived at Oaklawn on Tuesday. McGaughey said that he had hoped to find a race for Adjudicating in Florida but that none fit the schedule.

“Time is getting short, and I’ve got to see where I stand with him,” he said.

Under the allowance conditions of the race, Adjudicating will carry 122 pounds. Pat Johnson is to ride.

Karen’s Tom, owned by Charles Randolph and trained by Lynn Whiting, has won four of five starts, but he has never been past seven furlongs.

In the six-furlong Mountain Valley, Karen’s Tom pulled Pat Day to the lead and blazed through the first quarter in :21 1/5. He completed the half-mile in :44 3/5 and hung on to beat Bold Pocket a neck.

Whiting said after the race that he would change his training tactics in an attempt to make the son of Ginistrelli relax. His only loss was to the highly regarded Secret Hello in a stakes race in Chicago last August, but he beat Secret Hello three weeks later.

Karen’s Tom will carry 119 pounds, including Day.

Tarascon, owned by John Franks, was seventh in his first race last October but has four firsts, one second and one third in his last six races.

He finished 1989 with a victory in the San Miguel at Santa Anita and started 1990 with a front-running victory in a seven-furlong race for California-breds. In his last start, the son of Flying Paster was favored in the San Vincente and was beaten a length by Mister Frisky, who was making his first start in the United States. Mister Frisky has since won another race in California and is unbeaten in 15 outings.

Tarascon will carry 119 pounds, including Larry Snyder.

Dotsero, trained by Timothy Muckler, won a stakes race at Aqueduct in January at one mile and 70 yards. He was not worse than second in his first five races, then went to Remington Park and finished ninth as the heavy favorite.

Joe Johnson is to ride Dotsero, who carries 122.

Also entered are Bold Pocket (112), D. C. Tenacious (112), Dicky Vee (115) and Maverick Miner (117). Adjudicating, Karen’s Tom, Dotsero, D. C. Tenacious and Bold Pocket are Triple Crown nominees.