SANTA ANITA : Steward, 63, Says He Has Been Fired

Hubert Jones, a steward in California for more than 20 years, says he has been fired, effective March 13.

Dennis Hutcheson, the executive secretary of the California Horse Racing Board, informed Jones, 63, of his dismissal Friday, although Hutcheson declined to confirm it Saturday.

“No formal decision has been made at this time,” Hutcheson said. “It would be premature to say anything until March 4 (when the state’s stewards will meet with the CHRB stewards’ committee).”

Said Jones, a former jockey who has held a number of other positions in thoroughbred racing: “Mr. Hutcheson informed me Friday that the last day I’ll work is March 13. He said, ‘I don’t need to give any reasons,’ but he did say that he thought I handled the Del Mar Derby hearing poorly.”

Jones testified Jan. 5 at the second hearing regarding the ongoing Tight Spot-Itsallgreektome controversy in last August’s Del Mar Derby. Mort Lipton was the only Del Mar steward present at the original hearing in early September.

Hearing referee Steve Schwartz overturned the stewards’ disqualification of Tight Spot and restored his victory. This prompted a protest from Itsallgreektome’s handlers and led to another hearing.

The CHRB received a recommendation from Schwartz and made a decision during an executive session Friday. The announcement of the winner will be made after the parties involved are notified, Hutcheson said.

“I’m shocked and surprised,” said Jones, who has also worked as a trainer, mutuel clerk, patrol and paddock judge, entry clerk, steward’s aide and assistant racing secretary.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I hadn’t planned on retiring. I do plan on meeting with the (CHRB) commissioners.”

Jones, who rode eight winners at Caliente June 11, 1944, will be replaced by Ingrid Fermin, who currently serves as the medication steward. Her position will be filled at Hollywood Park by Dave Samuel, who is a placing judge at Santa Anita. Samuel, who serves as a steward at Del Mar and Hollywood Park’s fall meetings, has been promised that he will continue to work those two meetings in addition to Fairplex Park and Oak Tree and the 1992 spring-summer season at Hollywood Park.

Fermin’s sister is Aase Headley, a member of the California Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn. and the wife of trainer Bruce Headley.

At least two other stewards, in Northern California, have also been dismissed.

Making her first start since finishing second in the Matriarch Dec. 2, Taffeta And Tulle held off Bequest by a head to win the $112,200 Buena Vista Handicap Saturday.

The 5-year-old Nureyev mare, the 4-5 favorite, tracked longshots Copper Wine and Polar Bird early, moved up to challenge for the lead nearing the stretch, then outlasted the 3-1 second choice to win in 1:34 1/5 for the mile on turf.

This was the sixth victory in 14 starts for the Kentucky-bred mare, who was worse than second only once in nine starts last year. “She had a tough year in France before she came here, so we thought we’d give her some time,” Charlie Whittingham said, explaining Taffeta And Tulle’s absence. “There was nothing wrong. It’s a long year.”

Hampered by a bad start in the Matriarch, Taffeta And Tulle broke first Saturday. “I thought she’d be splitting the field (early),” jockey Chris McCarron said. “Charlie told me, ‘Don’t take her back, but don’t rush her, either.’ She was very aggressive.

“She made a strong move (around the turn) completely on her own. I never asked her until the eighth pole. It’s a combination of competitiveness and ability. If she’s good and she’s competitive, she’s going to put herself in races.

“Being fresh, I didn’t want to fight her, so when she wanted to run, let her steal up with the leaders. I just loosened up on my hold a little.”

Making her first start since she was an unlucky second in a division of the Dahlia Handicap Nov. 17 at Hollywood Park, Bequest was a bit more than two lengths clear of 14-1 shot Somethingmerry. Polar Bird was fourth, then came Run To Jenny, Hot Pillow, Island Jamboree, Copper Wine and Agirlfromars.

Alex Solis, who rode Agirlfromars, had some unkind words for the Santa Anita turf course.

“This piece of . . . grass has holes all over it,” he said. “I was lucky I didn’t go down and it’s a good thing she didn’t get hurt.”

Down the backstretch, Agirlfromars bobbled badly, causing her to drop back swiftly and Solis to temporarily lose his right iron.

“She stepped in a hole and then she slipped,” Solis said. “They water (the grass) too much.”

Island Jamboree’s rider, Corey Nakatani, had some problems of his own. “She slipped at the three-eighths pole and her back end almost came out from under her,” he said.

Jockey Martin Pedroza was kept overnight for observation in Arcadia Methodist Hospital after being involved in a spill at Santa Anita.

Riding Thousandptsoflight, a 4-year-old maiden, in the fourth race, Pedroza went down face first when his mount tripped over Bravuro, who suffered broken knees approaching the quarter-pole. Pedroza, who has 13 victories from 171 mounts at the meeting, was reported to be in severe pain when he was reached on the track.

David Flores, who was riding Bravuro, was also hospitalized, but was released later in the afternoon.

Bravuro, a 4-year-old Never Tabled gelding trained by Vladimir Cerin, had to be destroyed.

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Tom Richardson was fined $1,000 and placed on probation through the rest of the year as a result of Fracoza testing positive for cocaine after a race Nov. 21 at Hollywood Park. A ninety-day suspension was stayed because this was the first adverse ruling against Richardson in a career that began in 1929.