SANTA ANITA : Southland’s Derby Hopes on Rise

Rhythm’s future is in doubt. Red Ransom was injured the other morning and he’s out. Summer Squall has yet to make his 1990 debut. Slavic and Yonder have proved to be ordinary. Even though he is unbeaten, Champagneforashley is still hard to take seriously.

With May’s first Saturday less than two months away, California’s prospects for having a fifth consecutive Kentucky Derby winner are looking bright.

An attempt to pinpoint which Southland-based 3-year-old might duplicate Ferdinand, Alysheba, Winning Colors and Sunday Silence would be premature, 27 days before the Santa Anita Derby.

Nevertheless, here’s a look at the better members of California’s sophomore class:

* Silver Ending. To say the least, he was a bargain when purchased for $1,500 as a yearling. Ron McAnally’s son of Silver Hawk gets better every time he runs and has the style for 1 1/4 miles. He will make his next appearance Saturday in the San Felipe Handicap at 1 1/16 miles.

* Pleasant Tap. His biggest claim to fame so far is an upset of Grand Canyon in last fall’s Sunny Slope Stakes. Trained by Chris Speckert, the son of Pleasant Colony made his 3-year-old debut in an allowance race early last month. Although he didn’t have too much competition, he overcame trouble to win. Pleasant Tap also has every reason to improve because he is still learning to race. He will also be a starter in the San Felipe.

* Mister Frisky. He’s the early favorite for the Santa Anita Derby and it’s hard to fault his 15-0 record. The Puerto Rican flash has shown he belongs in this country with victories in the San Vicente and San Rafael and he might well be another Bold Forbes. However, trainer Laz Barrera’s pride and joy had everything in his favor when he won the San Rafael and it remains to be seen how he will cope with other front-runners going 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 miles.

* Land Rush. The Nijinsky II colt is better than his third in the San Rafael would indicate. Wayne Lukas’ best Derby hope, now that Grand Canyon is sidelined, caught a track favoring front-runners and a distance (one mile) that isn’t his best. Land Rush will be far more effective with added, which will allow him to settle and make one late run.

* Tsu’s Dawning. He regained some of his stature with his win in the Bradbury after his flop at 1-5 in the Santa Catalina. Trainer Ed Gregson insists the son of Tsunami Slew doesn’t need the lead to succeed, but he will have to prove that. Tsu’s Dawning has been the recipient of very soft, on-the-lead trips in his two victories at Santa Anita. He’s also scheduled to go in the San Felipe, which was Sunday Silence’s springboard to success in the Santa Anita and Kentucky Derbies.

* Warcraft. Charlie Whittingham’s hope for a second consecutive victory in Kentucky and third in the last five years, the Ack Ack offspring still has much to prove. He has won twice, but he benefited from a slow pace while on the lead a week ago. Although still green, it is apparent the talent is there and he has the right boss to bring it out.

* Tight Spot. Another McAnally trainee, the son of His Majesty is on the upswing. After routing maidens, he won a minor stakes in Northern California, then chased Mister Frisky in the San Rafael. He should keep improving and could be even better on the turf, judging by a recent work over the Santa Anita grass.

Others to consider include Single Dawn, a late-runner who will run in the Floria Derby Saturday; Flying Reb, who may be strictly a mud specialist but who has been impressive in his two victories; Video Ranger, a $40,000 claim by trainer John Chlomos (from Lukas) who closed well behind Tsu’s Dawning in the Bradbury despite the slow early fractions, and Stylish King, the highly touted Roberto colt who is over his shin injury and is getting close to a start.

Bill Spawr was right. Super Ready deserved a spot in last month’s San Luis Obispo Handicap.

Due to an overflow field and with highweights preferred, a random draw was necessary to determine whether Super Ready or Baffo would be the final participant.

Baffo won, then turned in the second of three terrible races on the turf. He finished last, beaten 24 lengths by Frankly Perfect.

Super Ready, who finished fifth out of 10 starters in the Charles H. Strub Stakes, was forced to wait for Saturday’s $85,500 San Marino Handicap.

The way the 4-year-old Super Moment colt ran Saturday, Spawr won’t have to worry about being excluded anytime soon.

Outrun early in the 1 1/2-mile San Marino, the 6-1 fifth choice made a powerful move approaching the stretch under Pat Valenzuela, then kept going to beat Royal Reach, another 6-1 shot, by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:26 4/5.

This was the second victory in three turf starts for Super Ready, who probably earned an invitation to the San Juan Capistrano April 22.

“They still don’t believe in this horse,” said Spawr, who continues to be one of the circuit’s high-percentage trainers. He also won the second race with Inquisitorial Saturday and now has 13 winners from 45 starters at Santa Anita.

“I wanted to run him in the San Luis Obispo so bad. I’m still upset over that. I felt he wanted to run a mile and a half or a mile and three quarters all along. All we’ve been working on his relaxing him.

“I bought him privately from Ron McAnally, who encouraged me to take time and let him develop. I told the owners he was immature and that we should give him time and let him fill out and grow. Otherwise, if we kept pushing him, he might have melted on us.”

Royal Reach, a reformed claimer, was second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Pahlwaan, the 5-2 favorite.

Horse Racing Notes

Super Ready, who paid $15.80 to win, is owned by Roy Lindo, John Sullivan and Debbie Risoldi. . . . Trainer Ron Ellis turned 30 Saturday. . . . Eclipse Award winner Brown Bess will make her first start of 1990 in the Santa Ana Handicap today. Her opponents in the 1 1/8-mile, Grade I race are expected to be Annoconnor, Fieldy, Royal Touch, Sherarda, Invited Guest and Mamma Rosita.

Robbie Davis and Corey Black each won twice Saturday. . . . Pialor suffered a broken sesamoid in the first race and Ole suffered a broken cannon bone in the seventh. The early prognosis for both is good.