SANTA ANITA : Frost Free Is Six for Six at Arcadia Track After Victory Over Stablemate Valiant Pete

Frost Free’s connections probably wouldn’t mind if Santa Anita was open for year-round racing.

The 5-year-old gelded son of It’s Freezing is now unbeaten in six Arcadia starts after defeating Valiant Pete and three others in the $106,400 Palos Verdes Handicap Saturday.

Frost Free, the 7-10 favorite ridden by Chris McCarron, tracked Valiant Pete most of the way, then moved away in the final furlong to win by nearly two lengths in 1:08 3/5 for the six furlongs. Stablemate Valiant Pete was almost three lengths clear of Kipper Kelly, the longest shot in the field at 12-1, giving trainer John Sadler the Palos Verdes exacta.

The victory was the eighth in 17 starts for Frost Free and was an emotional one for his owner, Joyce Vandervoort. Her husband, Jim Vandervoort, the man behind Triple Dot Dash Stable, died earlier this month after suffering a heart attack. Frost Free and Prince Of Honey, who ran eighth in the seventh race, were the first two horses to start for Vandervoort since her husband’s death.

Sadler, who isn’t lacking for quality sprinters--he also trains Olympic Prospect--couldn’t have asked for the Palos Verdes to come up any better.

“That’s exactly what I was hoping for,” the trainer said. “(Valiant Pete) is a little quicker, so the plan was to have him in front and (Frost Free) second. Valiant Pete having the one (post position) was at a little disadvantage and that determined the running style, too.

“Frost Free ran super. He’s very sharp right now. We might bring him back in the San Carlos (Jan. 13 at seven furlongs). I don’t like to run (his sprinters) together, but to be fair to both owners, you have to run them and give them an equal chance to win.”

McCarron, the runaway jockey leader at Hollywood Park, has continued his pace at Santa Anita. He has seven victories in the first three days and the Palos Verdes was his second consecutive stakes. He won Friday’s San Miguel with Apollo.

“He’s a very fast horse,” he said of Frost Free. “I put him where Mr. Sadler wanted him to be. He told me to avoid going head-and-head with Valiant Pete. I told him I would try if I could avoid getting swamped from the outside. Once (Exploding Prospect) dropped back, I was able to accomplish that. As soon as I kicked in with Frosty turning for home, I was very confident.”

Gary Stevens, who was seeking his fifth consecutive Palos Verdes victory, didn’t come close aboard Exploding Prospect. The 4-year-old Miswaki colt turned in his second poor race in a row, finishing last--almost 19 lengths behind Frost Free. “He had the same excuse he had last time when he got beat (in the Vernon O. Underwood at Hollywood Park),” Stevens said. “He was lugging out and had his ears pinned and there was flat nothing there.”

The rest of the day went much better for Stevens. He won four times, scoring with Muy Alegre, Run On Home, Jimjen and Prove Splendid.

Aishah, a full sister to Althea, will make her California debut in today’s $111,000 La Brea Stakes, the first of the three-leg La Canada Series.

Trained by Scotty Schulhofer, who has brought a string of horses west, Aishah has won five of her 10 starts this year, including the Rare Perfume and Ocean Tide at Belmont Park.

Jose Santos, her regular rider in New York, has the call on the 3-year-old Alydar filly in the seven-furlong La Brea. Aishah has a series of sharp works at Santa Anita, capped by a 48 1/5 half-mile on Christmas morning.

Wayne Lukas, who has won the race three times--most recently with Family Style in 1987--will have two starters today, A Wild Ride and Chandelier.

A Wild Ride hasn’t started since winning the Linda Vista Handicap Oct. 20 at Oak Tree and she has drawn the rail. Chandelier has won five of 17 while competing in New York and will be ridden by Stevens.

Others scheduled to race are She’s A V.P., Mama Simba, Mahaska, Nasers Pride, Brought To Mind and Fly Gaelic.

Jockey Ray Sibille, whose business has slacked off locally, will begin riding at Golden Gate Fields Jan. 9.

The 38-year-old jockey, who enjoyed his biggest successes with the late Great Communicator, including a victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Turf, won only one race during the Hollywood Park meeting.

Joe Griffin, who worked for Robbie Davis for a short time this fall, will be Sibille’s agent.

Horse Racing Notes

The proposed match race between Valiant Pete and the quarter horse Griswold probably won’t be held, according to John Sadler. “We can’t seem to come to an agreement,” he said. “We want to run 4 1/2 (furlongs) and they want it to be 870 yards.” . . . Lanfranco Dettori, who won a handful of races at Hollywood Park, has returned home to Italy and he will begin riding in England next spring.

Twelve horses were entered Saturday morning for Monday’s $114,100 San Gabriel Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Heading the field will be the Clover Racing Stable entry of Kanatiyr and Colway Rally. Kanatiyr has four victories in 10 starts this year for trainer Rick Mettee while Colway Rally upset Exclusive Partner and Live The Dream in the Citation Handicap last month at Hollywood Park for trainer Julio Canani. Others in the field include Robinski, the upset winner of the Bay Meadows Handicap, The Medic, Aromatic, Rouvignac, In Excess, Chestnut Freeze, Edipo Rey, Silent Prince, Theatrical Charmer and Louis Cyphre.

Hollywood Starlet winner Cuddles is expected to return in Tuesday’s $100,000 Pasadena Stakes at six furlongs. The first stakes race of 1991 also figures to lure Brazen, Ifyoucouldseemenow, Classical Design, Lee Azucar and Mobile Phone. . . . Mizter Interco came from far back to win the $100,000 guaranteed California Juvenile Stakes at Bay Meadows. He was the 2-1 second choice at Santa Anita, where the race was simulcast. Pes Blanc was second, pacesetter Gold Crest Express finished third and Sea Cadet, the 1-2 favorite locally, was fourth.