HOLLYWOOD PARK : Success Encourages Sport of Kings

Before May of 1989, Wayne Gretzky’s interest in thoroughbred racing was limited. He paid some attention to the career of fellow Canadian Sandy Hawley and the Triple Crown, but that was about it.

Hockey’s Great One had never seen a race in person until last year’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

After watching Sunday Silence beat Easy Goer in the first of their four meetings, Gretzky was hooked.

“It was very emotional and very exciting,” he said. “When the gates opened, it was one of the wildest things I’d ever seen. They’ve said it’s the greatest two minutes in sports, and I guess I’d pretty much have to agree with that.”

Gretzky’s Derby companion was Bruce McNall, owner of the Kings. By his own count, McNall--the man behind Summa Stable--has had “thousands of horses.”

Soon, Gretzky was to own his first horse, in partnership with McNall. The way their first collaboration has turned out, it’s easy to understand why Gretzky’s interest in the sport is increasing.

Purchased almost a year ago in Europe after his second start, Golden Pheasant won once and placed in two other graded races before coming to the United States.

Since his arrival, the roan son of Caro has been perfect in two tries and has already stamped himself one of the nation’s best turf performers.

Impressive beating allowance rivals at Santa Anita, Golden Pheasant was equally dominant against Eclipse Award winner Steinlen and Classic Fame 13 days ago in the John Henry Handicap.

Golden Pheasant will go for three consecutive victories Monday in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap. His main rival, now that Prized has been scratched, figures to be Hawkster.

Having owned stars such as Trempolino, Dahar and Track Robbery, McNall definitely likes what he has seen of Golden Pheasant, who is trained by Charlie Whittingham.

“I think he has every opportunity to be the best horse I’ve ever had, certainly in this country,” McNall said. “It’s very exciting for me. Charlie’s very confident.

“I don’t know how good he is yet, but we’ll find out a little more on Monday. From what I’ve seen, he’s got all the potential. I’ve had a lot of horses, and I think he’s right near the top.”

McNall was initially hesitant to buy the colt, even though he had finished second to Old Vic in the second race of his life.

“He wasn’t a great-looking horse, and he wasn’t a horse who necessarily was proven at that level,” McNall said.

Bloodstock agents and racing managers Emmanuel and Laura de Seroux were convinced Golden Pheasant had the right stuff. “They’ve done great for us over the years, so I tend to go with them,” McNall said.

Credit Gretzky with an assist. Ever since the 1989 Derby, he had been eager to get involved in the sport. He helped persuade McNall to buy the horse.

“Bruce had been telling me that one of the most important things about the horse business is that you have to be patient,” Gretzky said. “I was anything but patient about Golden Pheasant. I kept pushing him on it. It’s pretty exciting when you first get involved with horse racing that you can be involved with a horse like Golden Pheasant.”

Golden Pheasant hasn’t been the only successful horse for Gretzky and McNall. Shining Steel won the Shoemaker Handicap earlier this month. Northern Glance, a daughter of Nijinsky II, broke her maiden at first asking the same day Golden Pheasant won the John Henry. Frankly Perfect won or placed in several stakes before breaking down in the San Juan Capistrano April 22.

“I’m trying to figure out how to explain to Wayne that not every horse wins graded races,” McNall said. “So far, I’ve been unsuccessful. It’s like starting out your first game winning the Stanley Cup finals. Where do you go from there?”

Gretzky experienced the other extreme when Frankly Perfect was injured a couple of hours before the Kings’ Game 3 loss to Edmonton. Still, Gretzky plans to increase his involvement. He has shares in eight thoroughbreds and a harness horse in Canada.

“When you see your horse win, there’s an emotional high, just like there is when you win anything else,” he said. “When you lose, obviously, there’s disappointment.

“I like to think that when we lose a hockey game, I understand the reasons why or some of the reasons why. I’m still learning this business, and after a race is lost I’m still not sure of everything that happened or everything that went on. It’ll take time to learn. You’re not going to grasp it all in one year. I have a lot of years ahead of me to learn the whole business, and I’m enjoying it more every day.

“Like I said two weeks ago, if you’re going to get involved with something where you don’t know a whole lot about it, you have to be patient and get involved with people who know what they’re doing.

“Bruce and his horse empire and the people who run it have been very successful, work very hard and know what they’re doing.”

Gretzky’s wife, Janet, and 17-month-old daughter, Paulina, saw Golden Pheasant’s victory in the John Henry.

“She loves animals and horses,” Gretzky said of Janet. “We watched the replay of Golden Pheasant’s last race about seven times, mostly because she kept wanting to see the horses run.”

Whittingham will also be represented in the two other stakes Hollywood Park is offering this weekend.

Today, he will send out Warcraft against 10 other 3-year-olds in the $113,500 Will Rogers Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Beaten by a nose in the Spotlight Handicap in his first grass start three weeks ago, Warcraft is the co-highweight with Somethingdifferent, who was fourth in the Spotlight, at 120 pounds. Robbie Davis again will ride Warcraft.

Making his first turf start will be Tsu’s Dawning, who was a disappointment after looking as though he might be a Triple Crown prospect early in the year. Trainer Ed Gregson’s colt has trained well on the surface and is bred to do well on it. He is a son of Tsunami Slew, who won this race in 1984 and the ’85 American Handicap over this course, and a half-brother to Zoffany, a multiple stakes winner on the turf. Gary Stevens has the mount.

Others in the field include Single Dawn, who beat Pleasant Tap by a nose in the Hoist The Flag Stakes last fall in his only grass start; Itsallgreektome, who staged the upset in the Spotlight in his first race as a gelding; Mehmetori; Senegalaise; Robyn Dancer; Forth Niner Days, Green’s Leader and Balla Cove.

Sunday, Whittingham’s hopes in the $107,700 Gamely Handicap will rest with Dearly Loved. The beaten favorite in the Santa Lucia at Santa Anita in her first California outing, Dearly Loved was scratched from the Hawthorne Handicap a week ago in favor of the Grade I Gamely. She was fourth in her only other turf appearance.

Dearly Loved will have only five opponents in the 1 1/8-mile race--Beautiful Melody, runner-up to stablemate Reluctant Guest in the recent Wilshire Handicap, Stylish Star, Double Wedge and the Fabio Nor-trained entry of Estrella Fuega and Mamma Rosita.