They’re Off, Running at Hollywood Park : Horse racing: The crowd is small, but bigger than it was at last year’s opener. Profit Key wins Debonair Stakes.

Initiating its 52nd season, Hollywood Park attracted 18,250 fans Wednesday.

No matter that 50 opening-day crowds have been larger. At a track where business has declined steadily for more than a few years, Wednesday’s figure signified some progress.

The 16,675 who showed up last year was the smallest opening-day attendance. Perhaps Wednesday’s gain was a result of a promotional glass giveaway because the handle was down slightly from 1989. The total was $4,091,641 compared to $4,104,495 the previous April.

Factoring in the 10 intertrack locations, the total attendance of 26,310 was up more than 15% from last year and the handle increased 3.4%.

Those who came to Inglewood or watched the races at one of the satellites probably felt as if they were still at Santa Anita.

Gary Stevens, the runaway leader among the jockeys at Arcadia, and Wayne Lukas, the top trainer, combined to win the $81,100 Debonair Stakes with Profit Key.

Earlier, there were a rash of upsets and form reversals, topped by Lucky Street’s $128.40 surprise, which keyed a $1,233 exacta and a $7,897.50 triple. Five of the nine winners paid double digits and nobody was able to isolate even five winners in the Pick Six.

Another talented 3-year-old, Profit Key made it three consecutive victories with a come-from-behind victory over Doyouseewhatisee and four others in the seven-furlong Debonair.

Second in a pair of starts last summer at Del Mar, the son of Desert Wine hasn’t made any mistakes since returning to the races March 25, but he displayed an extra dimension Wednesday.

Never far off the lead and well-placed outside in his two victories at Santa Anita, Profit Key was outrun early and down inside in the Debonair. Seemingly in trouble after a half-mile, he accelerated when room developed and won by three-quarters of a length in a stakes-record 1:21 2/5.

“I was getting a little concerned, but, as it turned out, it was a ground-saving ride,” trainer Jeff Lukas said. “When he was behind horses there, it was a little bit unclear if he was going to have room. When it did open up, he responded real well.

“Until this time, he had looked good and looked like he had a lot of potential. Today, he established himself by stepping into the stakes ranks, beating stakes winners and setting a stakes record. He’s a proven horse now.

“For right now, we’ll just stay with a short program with him. Chances are he’ll stay right here.”

A half-brother to highly regarded sprinter Vinnie The Viper, Profit Key, the 8-5 second choice, acts as if he will be able to handle extra distance.

“I think this was a pretty good indication that he can probably get a middle distance,” Stevens said. “He was kind of a push-button horse to ride today. He was really easy to get along with.

“He’s got a ton of pure ability. I was on him after I rode him for the first time at Del Mar. He’s still got a lot of room for improvement. He’s still studdish and he was really acting up with the pony going to the gate.

“I was really impressed with the way he finished the last eighth of a mile. Once he got head and head with those two horses, he was just gone.”

Doyouseewhatisee, the 9-2 third choice, was 3 1/2 lengths better than Jacodra, the 7-5 favorite. Troubled when he finished second to Profit Key April 8 in his first race since June, Jacodra battled with 13-1 shot Master Lypheor through :22, :44 2/5 and 1:09 splits before faltering.

It was Doyouseewhatisee’s first appearance since he ran third in the Hoist The Flag Nov. 25. “He was running easy and I could have won it, but the other horse was able to get through,” Martin Pedroza said.

Mister Flyer, a 2-year-old half-brother to Mister Frisky, was purchased Wednesday by Clover Racing Stable. A son of Fire Dancer, Mister Flyer brought $245,000 as a 2-year-old in a training sale in Ocala, Fla. The colt will come to California and will be trained by Neil Drysdale.

Pat Valenzuela was ill and took off his mounts Wednesday. The rider, who has had a history of substance abuse and was suspended last fall after testing positive for cocaine, drove to Hollywood Park and voluntarily submitted a urine sample to the stewards. Valenzuela hopes to ride today.

Attempting a comeback, Kenny Black, Corey Black’s older brother, will ride two horses Friday: maiden Current Climate in the second and Showerstime in the fifth.

Black tested positive for cocaine in 1984 and hasn’t ridden locally since.

Licensed as an exercise rider, he had a hearing in front of an officer of the California Horse Racing Board last month and was again granted a jockey’s license.

“He’s been through the process and he had to present a lot of positive things,” steward Pete Pedersen said. “He’s been involved with the Winners Foundation and he had to present a lot of evidence from horsemen and other responsible people.”

For a time late last year, Black, who has also had problems with his weight, served as his brother’s agent.

Horse Racing Notes

Martin Pedroza and trainer Sandy Shulman combined for a double with Suit Up in the third and Watch ‘N Win in the seventh. . . . David Flores also had two winners: Lucky Street, who had finished last in his other two starts this year, and Sparshott, who took the first at $19. . . . Sunday Silence, who is likely to make his 1990 debut in the Californian June 3, is scheduled to work five furlongs this morning. . . . Steinlen, who won the El Rincon Handicap in his last start, worked five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 this morning in preparation for a likely appearance in Sunday’s Shoemaker Handicap at a mile on the turf.