HOLLYWOOD PARK : Warcraft Finally Gets First Stakes Victory, but Trainer Is Certain It Won’t Be His Last

Warcraft, making his 15th start, finally won his first stakes race--Saturday’s $108,500 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park.

If Charlie Whittingham is right, it won’t be the last for the 3-year-old son of Ack Ack.

“He’ll be better as time goes on,” Whittingham said after Warcraft held off Pleasant Tap to win by a nose in a stakes record 1:47 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

“All the Acks Acks I’ve had have gotten better with age. Ack Ack ran a few good races at three, then at five he was unbeatable.”

Until Saturday, Warcraft had been a disappointment. Heavily touted before he made his debut last winter, the Kentucky-bred had been the beaten favorite six times and had finished second in five stakes on turf and dirt.

Now, for the first time, Warcraft has consecutive victories and Chris McCarron sees a difference.

“He’s maturing and coming around,” said McCarron, who continues to run away in the Hollywood Park jockey standings. He had two more victories Saturday and leads Kent Desormeaux, 34-27.

“He was so precocious early in his career that we thought he’d be a runner right off the bat. He’s never run a bad race except one in the mud, and I think he’s getting stronger and better all the time. He’s really filled out.

“He’s been a little fidgety going to the post in the past, but today he was like a champ out there. He fought hard and I’m proud of him.”

Well-placed by McCarron early, Warcraft was third behind Double Quick and Good Taste for six furlongs, was passed by Go And Go, who took a short lead at the eighth pole, then held on to beat the fast-finishing Pleasant Tap. Go And Go, making his first start since being eased in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finished third, another neck back.

The Native Diver had never been won by a 3-year-old in 11 runnings, but sophomores took the first three places Saturday.

Wayne Lukas, who recently took over the training of Go And Go, was encouraged by the Belmont winner’s effort.

“I liked his race very much,” he said. “That was a big improvement from his last showing. I think off that race we expect him to improve a lot.

“I think he’s going to be a real good horse for us in the (Charles H.) Strub (at Santa Anita).”

Making his first start in California since a dismal try in the San Felipe Handicap in March, Pleasant Tap also rebounded after a terrible Breeders’ Cup performance. He was eighth of 11 in the Turf.

“He ran a big race today,” jockey Alex Solis said. “He took his time the first part of it, but he was really running at the end.”

Plenty Of Grace, who won last month’s Yellow Ribbon as a 56-1 longshot, will be a much shorter price in today’s $200,000 Matriarch Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Plenty Of Grace, who has won five of nine 1990 starts, won’t be lacking for opponents. Fifteen other fillies and mares were entered in the Matriarch. Only 14 will be allowed to start.

The rest of the field includes Peinture Bleue, My Girl Jeannie, the entry of Taffeta and Tulle and Royal Touch, Countus In, Vijaya, Double Wedge, Little Brianne, Mistaurian, Sweet Roberta, Stylish Star, Miss Josh and Petalia. Agirlfromars and Kikala are the also-eligibles.

Sekondi, making his first start in the United States, ran down entrymate Courtesy Title in the final yards to win the $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby Saturday.

This gave owner Gary Biszantz a 1-2 sweep in the Derby, which was simulcast at Hollywood Park between the seventh and eighth races.

A 3-year-old son of R B Chesne, Sekondi had won four of 10 starts in Europe and he came from last in the field of 12 to win by a half-length. Ridden by Roberto Gonzalez, he was 4-1 locally compared to 3-1 at Bay Meadows. Appealing Missy, a filly who was also making her U.S. debut, finished third at 60-1. Aksar, the favorite, finished seventh under Gary Stevens.

Horse Racing Notes

Kent Desormeaux won the first three races Saturday, solidifying his hold on second place in the Hollywood Park jockey standings. . . . Alex Solis ended a 51-race slump when Ev For Shir won Saturday’s fourth race. Solis came back to win the sixth on Slew The Surgeon and is third in the standings with 22 victories. . . . There’s a Pick Six carryover of $92,311.60 for today. . . . Warcraft paid $5 as the 3-2 favorite and the victory was worth $63,500 to his owners, Charlie Whittingham, Nancy Ann Chandler and Mary Jones Bradley.