HOLLYWOOD PARK : Kenny Black Is Happy to Be Back

Even though sixth place was the best Kenny Black could manage with his three mounts, it was a gratifying return for the jockey Friday at Hollywood Park.

“In the post parade for the first race, people were yelling things like, ‘Go get ‘em, Kenny’ and ‘Glad to have you back,’ ” he said. “It was nice. I even got a small standing ovation.”

Corey Black’s older brother, 26, hadn’t ridden locally since 1984, except for two mounts in 1986. A regular in the top 10, he tested positive for cocaine in the summer of ’84 and developed a drug problem.

That winter, he was suspended by the stewards and has been something of a vagabond since. Over the years, he has ridden at such outposts as St. George and Beaver, Utah; Globe, Ariz., and Farmington, N.M.

Married and the father of two, Black says he is a changed man and hopes to become a Southland fixture again. Always in a battle with weight, he rode at 119 Friday.

After riding at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque last fall, Black served as his brother’s agent briefly, then started exercising horses in hopes of making a comeback.

He had a hearing before an officer of the California Horse Racing Board last month, then was granted his jockey’s license earlier this week.

“I’ve matured tons,” he said after completing his first day back.

He finished ninth with 40-1 shot Notice Me Baby in the first race, 12th and last with 109-1 outsider Current Climate in the second and sixth on 25-1 shot Showerstime, who had the lead until tiring in the final eighth of a mile.

“I’m not making excuses or anything, but I was 18, driving a Porsche, making $300,000-$400,000 a year and living in a half-million-dollar house,” Black said.

“It was life in the fast lane and 90% of the people in the fast lane back then did drugs. It was the ‘in’ thing. I wasn’t uncommon. I was going to do what I wanted to do.

“I’m a complete family man now and I like it. When I married Kelly (two years ago) and had two kids, I realized how much I was missing. Kelly turned my life around.

“When I was Corey’s agent, it really wasn’t me. I really got the itch again. I want to give my family the things they deserve.”

Black, who has hired Vince DeGregory as his agent, is named on three more horses today--Rosie’s Lord Tudor, Gorbot and Gum Swapper--and has two calls Sunday.

A head better than Bruho in the El Rincon Handicap in his second start of the year, Steinlen will spot six rivals nine to 16 pounds in the $110,000 Shoemaker Handicap Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Formerly named the Premiere, the Shoemaker will be run at a mile on the turf, the same course where Steinlen had three seconds and a victory in four starts last year. After being beaten a nose by Mister Wonderful in the American Handicap last July 4, the Habitat horse rattled off five consecutive victories en route to his Eclipse Award as the nation’s top turf performer.

Jose Santos, who has ridden the 7-year-old in his last six races, will be aboard Sunday as Steinlen carries 126 pounds, one more than in the El Rincon.

The horse he may have to fear most is Super May, who has blossomed in recent months for Richard Mandella.

A 4-year-old son of Super Concorde, Super May has won four consecutive races, most recently a three-quarter length decision over Royal Reach in the Santa Gertrudes April 7. Royal Reach returned to capture the San Jacinto, the closing-day feature at Santa Anita.

Robbie Davis will again ride Super May, who had a nightmarish trip in his only other try on the Hollywood Park grass as a 2-year-old.

Neil Drysdale will be represented by Nediym, who has been rested since a disappointing try in Bill Shoemaker’s final race Feb. 4, and Saudi Desert, who was beaten at 4-5 in a Santa Anita allowance race.

Owned by Bruce McNall and Wayne Gretzky, Shining Steel was well beaten in the El Rincon when he took off early. He’s much more effective coming from behind, as shown in his four-length victory March 17.

Preston and Brave Capade, who are also entered in the seventh race today, are the other scheduled Shoemaker contestants.

Three days into the meeting, Kent Desormeaux tops the jockey standings after three winners Friday.

Ninth at Santa Anita, even though he didn’t compete in California until mid-February, Desormeaux won the second race with favored Gibson’s Choice, the fifth on 9-1 longshot Cookie Bear and the seventh with Final Frontier. He has five wins and four seconds in 18 mounts in Inglewood.

Eddie Delahoussaye and Pat Valenzuela each won twice Friday. Delahoussaye took the feature on Dachi’s Folly, who rallied from far behind, and the ninth with 7-1 outsider Chief’s Image. Valenzuela scored aboard Pocketful of Class in the fourth and Provident Ruler, a 12-1 longshot, in the sixth.

Horse Racing Notes

Stormy But Valid, who is tough on any surface, returns to the dirt today in the $107,300 A Gleam Handicap at seven furlongs. Trained by Brian Mayberry, the 4-year-old Valid Appeal filly has won seven of 17 while earning $324,600. She will be ridden by Gary Stevens and has five opponents--Hot Novel, Sugarplum Gal, Inverness Lady, What Has Been and Tis Juliet. . . . John Sadler is the early leader in the trainers’ race with three victories. He had two Friday--Gibson’s Choice and Pocketful of Class.