HOLLYWOOD PARK : Dry Spell Continues for Drysdale

Has the real Neil Drysdale disappeared and been replaced by an evil clone? Has his barn been mysteriously bombarded by negative energy, reducing fast horses to frustrated also-rans? Can this be the same smiling Englishman who so dominated the 1989 Hollywood Park meeting?

The answers are no, no and yes, although the Drysdale smile is framed these days by stiff upper and lower lips. The trainer is patiently working his way through the same kind of dry spell that even strikes people named Whittingham and Lukas. He is one for 14 at the meeting, certainly not a terrible statistic. But it’s the no-shows that have hurt more than the losses.

Conservative to the core, Drysdale decided to pull top-weighted Prized out of next Monday’s $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap this week when the 4-year-old colt did not train to his satisfaction. He also passed up Sunday’s $100,000 Gamely Handicap with the classy European import, Life at the Top, who could have been favored and would have been difficult to beat at her best.

At the ’89 Hollywood meeting, Drysdale ended up owning a piece of the winner’s circle. He won the Californian with Sabona, the Hollywood Oaks with Gorgeous, the Bel Air Handicap with Rahy and the Honeymoon Handicap with Hot Option. His finest hour came in the Swaps Stakes, when he sent out Prized for a stunning upset of Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero Sunday Silence.

Prized has gone on to become a star on the grass, winning the 1989 Breeders’ Cup Turf and the 1990 San Luis Rey Stakes. He would have taken a three-for-three turf record into Monday’s race and might have been favored, despite the fact that the opposition figured to include Eclipse Award winner Steinlen, John Henry Handicap winner Golden Pheasant and world record-holder Hawkster.

But after watching Prized work Wednesday on the Hollywood grass, Drysdale pulled back.

“His work prior to that was just satisfactory,” said Drysdale, who had not run Prized since the San Luis Rey on March 25. “And then in Wednesday’s work I though he was lacking a bit. We’ve been able to train him up to specific races several times before, so obviously he was trying to tell us something. And you’ve got to be A-1 to run against these horses off works.”

Drysdale said he would wait a few days before considering the next target for Prized.

“He’s told us that he wasn’t quite up to this race,” the trainer said. “But he hasn’t told us everything yet.”

As for Life at the Top, the English filly was forced to scratch out of the May 6 Wilshire Handicap when she tied up after her pre-race breeze. The condition is a form of muscle cramps that can lead to dangerous colic in thoroughbreds.

“She’s back training, but the Gamely came up too soon,” Drysdale said.

In the meantime, Drysdale will plunge forward, doing the same things that helped rank the stable No. 4 in North America last year with $5.5 million in purses. He must have been doing something right.

“We tend to get a little spoiled,” Drysdale concluded. “We’re just accustomed to leading them over there and seeing them win.”

It’s been a long time since anyone saw Single Dawn win--six months to the day, in fact. But trainer Ron McAnally is giving the classically bred colt a chance to redeem himself Saturday in the $100,000 Will Rogers Handicap.

The Will Rogers, at 1 1/16 miles on the grass, provides Single Dawn with a more friendly setting than he has been used to lately. The son of Grey Dawn II, bred and owned by Jack Kent Cooke, was considered a Triple Crown candidate earlier this year but never panned out.

He never filled out, either.

“That’s what concerns me about this colt,” McAnally said this week. “We’re having a hard time putting the weight on him. And the amazing thing is, he’s the best doer in the barn. He’ll eat anything you put in front of him.”

Horse Racing Notes

Somethingdifferent, Tsu’s Dawning, Itsallgreektome, Balla Cove and Warcraft will head the opposition for Single Dawn in the Will Rogers Handicap. . . . Gary Stevens will replace Pat Valenzuela on Hawkster for the Turf Handicap. . . . A profile of Bill Shoemaker, produced by John Forsythe with cinematography by Joe Burnham, will be shown by ESPN Saturday at 1:30 p.m.