OAK TREE AT SANTA ANITA : Morvich Tops Local Races Today

Besides the seven Breeders’ Cup races, with their National Pick Seven, the Oak Tree meeting will offer eight races at Santa Anita today after matters are completed at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Post time for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the first race of the day, is 9:15 a.m., and first post for the races at Santa Anita is 1:15 p.m. Gates will open at 7 a.m.

The Santa Anita feature is the $75,000 Morvich Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Waterscape, who led all the way while winning over the course on Oct. 13 in his first start in nearly six months, tops the field of seven for this 14th race on the day’s program.

Trained by Scott Henry, the 5-year-old Water Bank gelding has won three of six races down the hill and was second to Yes I’m Blue in last year’s Morvich. None of the other entrants appear capable of keeping pace with Waterscape early in the race.

Anjiz and Hollywood Reporter also have victories over the course during this meeting. The former won his American debut at 21-1 on Oct. 5, before finishing sixth in the Col. F.W. Koester two weeks later. Russell Baze will ride Anjiz for trainer Brad MacDonald.

Off the board in his previous five starts, Hollywood Reporter won at 50-1 on opening day, rallying from last place to beat $100,000 claimers for trainer Vladimir Cerin. Apprentice Hector Torres again has the mount.

The rest of the field: Sir Beaufort, Lanner, Qui Danzig and Scottish Castle.

Island Jamboree, who finished second to Oeilladine at 39-1 in the race last year, is among nine fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s $87,000 Louis R. Rowan Handicap at one mile on the grass.

Island Jamboree was also second in her most recent start, losing by three-quarters of a length to Agirlfromars, who might be favored in the Rowan.

A 5-year-old Explodent mare, Island Jamboree will be ridden by Gary Stevens. She has finished first or second in 20 of 34 starts.

The high weight in the race is Reluctant Guest, trying to return to the form she showed in 1990. She has only one victory in four starts this year, and that was the only time she has been in the money.

Trained by Richard Mandella, the 5-year-old Hostage mare has been working well for her first start since July 20, going a mile in 1:39 on Oct. 25. Chris McCarron will do the riding.

Others in the field, besides Agirlfromars, who is at her best going a mile, are Re Toss, who didn’t care for the Bay Meadows turf while finishing last in the California Jockey Club Handicap; Tasteful T.V.; Quilma; Zapateado; Native Twine, and Queenemara, who won eight of 11 races while competing at minor tracks in Europe.

Kostroma, who set a world record in the Las Palmas Handicap on Oct. 20, is among the 14 fillies and mares invited to the $400,000 Yellow Ribbon on Nov. 10.

A Grade I stake, the Yellow Ribbon will be run at 1 1/4 miles on the turf, and has been won in the past by stars such as Brown Bess, Estrapade, Sangue, Kilijaro and Country Queen.

Other top horses on the list of invitees include Fire The Groom, whose stakes victories this year include the Beverly D. and Hollywood Park’s Wilshire Handicap; Miss Josh, who has won stakes on both coasts; Flawlessly, a 3-year-old filly who is unbeaten in five starts on the grass, and Campagnarde, who won twice at Del Mar, including the Ramona Handicap. Both Flawlessly and Campagnarde are trained by Charlie Whittingham, who has won the Yellow Ribbon three times.

The remaining fillies and mares invited are Appealing Missy, Bequest, Colour Chart, Crnagora, Lady Shirl, Leariva, Once In My Life, Plenty Of Grace (the defending champion) and Somethingmerry.

Seahawk Gold, who finished 19 lengths behind Bertrando in last month’s Norfolk Stakes, defeated Fabulous Champ by a nose to win Friday’s $51,500 Blue Eyed Davy at Santa Anita.

Never far off the lead, the 5-1 shot battled pacesetter Fabulous Champ from the top of the stretch. In the grass debut for the entire field of nine 2-year-olds, Seahawk Gold covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13 1/5 and gave Hector Torres his first stakes victory at Santa Anita.

This was the third victory in five starts for the gelded son of At the Threshold. He raced on Lasix for the first time Friday. Trained by Lewis Cenicola, Seahawk Gold’s other successes came in a $32,000 maiden race at Del Mar and in the Fairplex Breeders’ Cup.

Silver Ray was third; then came Sweet Tea N Me, Dr. Secreto, Southern Wish, Simple King, 2-1 favorite Shamoon and Poppysaros.

Horse Racing Notes

Kent Desormeaux, who along with Corey Nakatani was shut out of mounts in the Breeders’ Cup, won four races Friday and moved ahead of Pat Valenzuela in the jockey standings. Victories aboard Sing Sing Sky, How Are Things, Shame On Norman and Adorable Ana gave Desormeaux 30, two more than Valenzuela. . . . Jockey Danny Velasquez Jr. finished fifth aboard Buns Galore in his riding debut in Friday’s ninth race.