HOLLYWOOD PARK : Hubbard’s Cupboard Isn’t Bare as Fire The Groom Tears Up Turf

A division that lacks a star might have found one.

The way Fire The Groom won Sunday’s $108,000 Wilshire Handicap, she looks like the queen of the female turf division and the very early favorite for the Eclipse Award.

Three weeks after winning the Santa Anita Budweiser Breeders’ Cup when aided by a very fast pace, the 4-year-old Blushing Groom filly was able to win the Wilshire despite rather moderate fractions.

Seemingly without much hope with a furlong to run, the 7-10 favorite unleashed a furious rally in the final sixteenth to beat 10-1 shot Odalea by a head.

Winning her fifth in a row, Fire The Groom completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40, including a final sixteenth of a mile in under six seconds.

In addition, she continued a hot streak for Hollywood Park’s board of directors. She is owned by President and Chief Operating Officer R.D. Hubbard and provided him with his second stakes victory of the meeting--Survive won the A Gleam eight days earlier. The race before the Wilshire, director Herman Sarkowsky saw his Impertinent Lady score and Saturday, director Thomas Gamel won with Aguilucho.

Purchased by Hubbard in Europe last fall, Fire The Groom has won seven of 10 lifetime and her latest success was the sixth victory for trainer Bill Shoemaker’s barn since his tragic accident last month. Assistant Paddy Gallagher, who is overseeing the stable, has sent out 22 starters since Shoemaker was critically injured.

Fifth for the first six furlongs, Fire The Groom angled to the rail while rallying and was up in the final strides to beat Odalea, who was seeking her third consecutive victory.

Agirlfromars, who was able to control the pace, faded to third, a length behind Odalea, after having a four-length advantage with a furlong to run. Annual Reunion, the 7-2 second choice, was fourth, then came Appealing Missy, in her second consecutive disappointing effort, and Spring Daffodil. Gaelic Bird was scratched.

“(Appealing Missy) died and I didn’t really want to come out and around Odalea and Annual Reunion,” Gary Stevens said, explaining why he angled to the rail with the winner.

“They were running and I didn’t feel that I could go out and still beat them. Luckily, I had the opportunity to get through. She’s got an unbelievable kick. The further they go, the better off she’s going to be.

“I think she’d run up stairs if you asked her. She’s a real nice athlete. She’s one of those where you buckle on your helmet and you’re pretty confident she’s going to go out there and run a big race. She’s a professional.”

Never worse than third in eight U.S. starts, Odalea had the lead briefly approaching the wire, but couldn’t hold on. “She ran pretty well,” jockey David Flores said. “The other filly just got me on the wire.”

Horse Racing Notes

Winglet, a daughter of Alydar, made her first start a winning one in Sunday’s second race. Owned by Allen Paulson, trained by Richard Lundy and ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, Winglet was a $375,000 yearling purchase at the 1990 Keeneland July Sale. The Paulson-Lundy combination came back to win the next race with another maiden filly, 11-1 shot Lizad, a daughter of Strawberry Road. . . . Gary Stevens, Russell Baze and David Flores all had two winners Sunday and the latter leads the standings at Hollywood Park after two weeks with 12 victories. . . . The second phase of Hollywood Park’s reconstruction project will begin today and continue through the rest of the meeting. The grandstand area is going to be refurbished in sections. . . . Thirty-five horses remain eligible for the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup, which will be run June 29. Among the top names who remain eligible are Farma Way, Festin, Jolie’s Halo, Opening Verse, Prized, Summer Squall, Unbridled and Itsallgreektome.