HOLLYWOOD PARK : Field for Derby Split as 22 Entered

Twenty-two 3-year-olds were entered Friday for Sunday’s $200,000 Hollywood Derby, causing the Grade I stake to be split into two divisions for the first time since 1987.

Until the last three years, the Derby had been run in two divisions seven conseutive times, after it was moved from the dirt to the turf in 1981.

The first division of the 1 1/8-mile event, to be run as the fifth race, has the stronger field. Heading that race will be Eternity Star, the Del Mar Derby upsetter who was a troubled third in Oak Tree’s Volante Handicap, and European imports Masterclass, Sillery and Satin Flower, the last trained by John Gosden, who won a division of the Derby in 1982 with another filly, Royal Heroine.

After being able to squeeze through along the inside as a 38-1 longshot in the Del Mar Derby, Eternity Star was forced to rally 10-wide in the Volante on a day when the auxiliary rail was up. He wound up third, beaten by a head, in what was the meeting’s tightest finish. The first 10 horses were separated by three lengths. Eddie Delahoussaye will again ride Eternity Star for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Sillery, running against older horses in the Budweister International at Laurel last month, opened a length lead one furlong from the finish but was overpowered by longshot Leariva. He wound up a half-length ahead of Goofalik.

A son of Blushing Groom, Sillery is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Alec Head, is trained by their daughter Criquet Head and will be ridden by son Freddie Head.

“I think the turf here is in very good shape,” Alec Head said. “It’s fast ground, which you would expect in California, but my horse likes it firm. I like this better than a soft track.

“It’s been tough for this horse. We shipped to Laurel for the International, then we shipped him back home and then back here again. So, the thing is really to know how he’s going to react to those two trips. It’s a long way to come.

“But he looks good. I think he’ll put in a good performance, otherwise I wouldn’t have brought him here.”

Masterclass, trained in France by Andre Fabre, won two of seven starts in Europe and was second three times. Most recently, he was fourth as the favorite on Oct. 6 at Longchamp. He will be ridden again Sunday by Pat Eddery.

Satin Flower, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Shadeed, hasn’t been worse than third in eight starts for Gosden. In her first American race, she was beaten by a nose by La Gueriere in Keeneland’s Queen Elizabeth Cup three weeks ago. Corey Black rode her that day, but Pat Valenzuela will be aboard Sunday.

The rest of the field in the first division: Rimpa, Heavy Rain, Young Daniel, Perfectly Proud, Dominion Gold (who was beaten by a nose after setting the pace in the Volante), Native Boundary and Stark South (who had traffic trouble in the Volante while finishing sixth).

Olympio is the 124-pound high weight in the second division, which will be the eighth race.

After winning the Minnesota Derby and the American Derby, Olympio has been second in his last two starts--the Secretariat Handicap and the Super Derby. The Naskra colt was beaten by a head in his grass debut in the Secretariat by Jackie Wackie.

General Meeting is the only entrant perfect in two starts on the turf. He won an allowance race by a neck on Oct. 11, then came back to win the Volante. Kent Desormeaux will again handle the Seattle Slew colt for trainer David Hofmans.

Frankel will have two starters--Hokusai and Sardarmati. The former was third in Bay Meadows’ Ascot Handicap on Sept. 21. The latter, making his first start in the United States, hasn’t been out since June 21, when he was beaten at 7-10.

The rest of the field in the second division: River Traffic, Claret, Tellmethetruth, Bistro Garden, Rainbows for Life, Track Monarch and Lackington.

Chris McCarron will ride Bistro Garden, a Green Dancer colt who has been first, second or third in all 10 of his starts in France. He was a nose winner over Goofalik on Oct. 6 at Longchamp and was close to Sillery in two races. Rainbows for Life has won five of his eight outings on turf. Track Monarch was fourth, beaten by a neck in the Volante, and earlier won a division of Del Mar’s Oceanside Stakes.

Horse Racing Notes

The California Horse Racing Board changed some of the procedures and policies regarding drug tests. According to a directive from CHRB Executive Secretary Dennis Hutcheson, if there is a positive test for cocaine or cocaine metabolites and it is the first positive cocaine result within the past 12 months on any horse under the trainer’s care--and there is no other evidence to suggest culpability on the part of the trainer--the executive secretary, after consulting with the Equine Medical Director, may make a determination that the test may be have been caused by contamination rather than direct administration. There were other changes in the directive, which was “intended to further provide for a more efficient and effective (drug-testing) system and to facilitate consistency on a statewide and breedwide basis.”

Salt Lake is the 4-5 morning line favorite for today’s $100,000 Hollywood Prevue Breeders’ Cup Stakes at seven furlongs. An easy winner of the Cowdin at Aqueduct in his last start, Salt Lake will have only five opponents today--Star of the Crop, Whatcom Warrior, Seahawk Gold, Renegade King and Cape Royale. . . . Pat Valenzuela and Laffit Pincay each rode two winners Friday.