DEL MAR : Letthebighossroll Keeps On Going, Baffert’s String of Seconds Doesn’t

In midstretch of Wednesday’s $79,800 El Cajon Stakes, it looked as if trainer Bob Baffert’s streak of second places in stakes races was going to continue.

Last weekend, favored Soviet Sojourn was second in the Del Mar Debutante; then his quarter horse, Ed Grimley, was the runner-up at 7-5 in the $2-million All American Futurity at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico.

In the El Cajon, 10-1 shot Mizter Interco was primed to prolong the trend. He had collared Baffert’s Letthebighossroll, the 6-5 choice, with a furlong to run and seemed to be on his way to victory.

Only Eddie Delahoussaye and his mount weren’t quite finished in the stakes race for 3-year-olds. Letthebighossroll found something extra and rallied again to win by a neck, pulling away at the finish.

The victory ended a three-race losing streak for the Flying Paster, who had won his first four starts. The gelding covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.

Outrun in two starts in New York, Letthebighossroll had finished third in an Aug. 16 allowance race at Del Mar, his first start around two turns, but he faced older horses that day, so Baffert was hardly discouraged.

“He’s been training really well,” Baffert said. “This was his last chance to see if he could go two turns. Now, we’ll be looking at the California Cup (on Nov. 9).

“Eddie gave him a great ride. Eddie just sat back with him and knew when to let him go. He got beat up when he went to New York. The only reason I sent him there was because I thought the field (for the Metropolitan Mile) would be light. But when he got there, there was a cavalry waiting for him.”

Letthebighossroll finished 10th in a field of 14 in that race.

Delahoussaye didn’t like his chances Wednesday either when Mizter Interco, who was spotting the winner five pounds, 122-117, went by.

“I thought I was done,” Delahoussaye said. “I knew I had a little bit of horse left, but I didn’t know if it was enough. But he went game at the end. He got there. I’ll take them any way I can.”

No better than third in seven previous starts in 1991, Mizter Interco improved considerably in his third race for trainer Gary Jones.

“I thought I was going to gallop,” jockey Alex Solis said. “When he went by in the stretch, he pulled himself up. He eased off and stopped trying. With one like this, you’ve got to time your move just right. You’ve got to get him to the front right at the wire.”

Pillaring was third, a length behind Mizter Interco and 2 1/2 ahead of Honor Grades, the 3-1 second choice. Pace setter Persianalli faded to fifth, and Conveyor was last. Major Howey was scratched.

Pacific Classic runner-up Twilight Agenda will be Wayne Lukas’ lone starter in the $200,000 Del Mar Budweiser Breeders’ Cup at a mile Sunday.

The trainer had also considered starting Go And Go and Deposit Ticket but decided that Twilight Agenda, the 122-pound highweight, would be his only representative.

A winner of three straight on the main track before losing to Best Pal in the Pacific Classic, Twilight Agenda will again be ridden by Kent Desormeaux.

Likely opponents for Twilight Ridge include Robyn Dancer, Sea Cadet, The Prime Minister, Opening Verse, Great Commotion and Mr. Integrity.

Cascading Gold, who broke the sesamoid in her left foreleg in Sunday’s Chula Vista Handicap,is doing fine after surgery by Dr. Larry Bramlage Tuesday.

“The operation went well,” trainer Neil Drysdale said. “If all continues to go well, she’ll be shipped back to Kentucky (for breeding purposes) some time this week.”

Eight 3-year-old fillies were entered Wednesday for Friday’s $80,775 Torrey Pines Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

Number’s Game will be trying for her second stakes victory of the meeting for trainer Brian Mayberry, having taken the Fleet Treat Stakes at seven furlongs on July 31. Corey Nakatani, who rode her that day, will again be aboard.

The rest of the field: Cozzene’s Queen, Paris In Spring, Fappies Cosy Miss, Second Copy, Title Bought, Scorpio Marjorie and Haunting.

The bill that would permit intertrack wagering among Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Los Alamitos and Fairplex Park, in addition to other sites, passed the Assembly Ways and Means Committee Wednesday by a 16-2 vote.

Jockey Corey Nakatani was handed his second five-day suspension of the meeting for the incident involving Suziqcute and Akinemod in Monday’s June Darling Stakes. The suspension will begin Saturday and continue until Sept. 12.

Apprentice rider Hector Torres was also given five days, beginning Friday, for his disqualification aboard Consecutively in Monday’s third race.

Delahoussaye rode two other winners Wednesday, Rasing Slew in the sixth race and 11-1 shot Rimelhor in the ninth.