THOROUGHBRED RACING : Hollypark Finally Lands Denman

After years of trying unsuccessfully to secure Trevor Denman, Hollywood Park has finally landed its man.

An agreement was reached Wednesday allowing Denman to call the races at Hollywood Park, beginning with the start of the spring-summer meeting April 24.

He replaces Michael Wrona, 24, an Australian who was hired last May. Efforts to obtain a permanent visa for Wrona have failed, and not wanting to be left without an announcer, Hollywood Park recently approached Santa Anita and Denman about his availability.

“About eight months ago, we set out to get Michael a visa and we retained a consultant for that purpose,” said Don Robbins, Hollywood Park’s general manager.

“We were unsuccessful in those efforts, so we retained another consultant. He told us it wouldn’t be resolved one way or the other prior to the opening of the meet. We’ll continue our efforts on Michael’s behalf and the consultant we have now is very optimistic we’ll be able to prevail.”

Although approval was also needed from Del Mar and Fairplex Park, where Denman also works, those tracks had always been willing to allow Denman to call at Hollywood Park. The Los Angeles Turf Club, which operates Santa Anita and holds his contract, had been the obstacle.

Unbending in their position when Marje Everett was in power at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita was willing to cooperate with Hollywood Park’s new boss, R.D. Hubbard.

“Indirectly, the change in management had something to do with our decision, but, directly, it had to do with the change in management’s philosophy,” said Cliff Goodrich, Santa Anita’s president and chief operating officer.

“It wasn’t simply no to Marje and yes to Dee Hubbard, but we questioned the way the company was heading. We’re looking forward to working with Hollywood Park in other areas, now that they have rejoined the Federation of California Racing Associations and will soon join the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America. We’re happy they’re back in the fold.

“This is important because it’s the first sign in a long while that Hollywood Park and Santa Anita really can work together. If we can work together, racing will be the big beneficiary.”

Besides the spring-summer meeting, Denman will also work the fall-winter meeting, but he will have four weeks of vacation during that period. Barring anything unforeseen, he would also continue next year before his contract with the Los Angeles Turf Club expires in the fall.

“The one thing I’m glad about is that it happened under circumstances which were beyond anybody’s control,” Denman said. “I inherited this job. I hadn’t gone out and sought it. Michael’s an outstanding announcer.”

Lite Light, the likely favorite for Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks, has been sold by Jack Finley to the Oaktown Stable headed by the father of rap star M.C. Hammer.

The purchase price wasn’t disclosed and came less than a week after Lewis Burrell, Sr. and son Lewis, Jr, the business manager for Hammer, bought Media Plan from Leonard Lavin’s Glen Hill Farm for $450,000. Media Plan finished second behind Olympio in last Saturday’s Sausalito Stakes at Golden Gate.

Only four other 3-year-old fillies are expected to start in the Oaks: Las Virgenes runner-up Garden Gal, Ifyoucouldseemenow, Furtaw’s Friend and Ms. Aerosmith.

Making her first start over an off track, Nice Assay, the 9-5 favorite, outbattled Perky Slew to win the $84,100 La Habra Stakes Wednesday at Santa Anita.

This was the second stakes victory of the meeting for the consistent Clever Trick filly and the third for her trainer, Paco Gonzalez. The 3-year-old, who has been off the board only twice in 12 starts, earlier won the Santa Ysabel and stablemate Mane Minister took the Santa Catalina.

Ridden by David Flores, Nice Assay was always near the lead and the first two finishers pulled away from the other seven entrants in the final quarter-mile.

Horse Racing Notes

Nice Assay completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17 1/5. . . . The La Habra was originally scheduled to be run on the turf and there were four scratches: Haunting, Dancing Reef, Assombrie and Paris In Spring. . . . David Flores and Eddie Delahoussaye both won twice Wednesday.