THOROUGHBRED RACING : Frankel Takes Aim at Double Today

Although Ron McAnally appears the leader in the race for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top trainer in 1991, Bobby Frankel is a definite contender.

And what has been a banner year for Frankel, who has never won an Eclipse, could become even better today.

Marquetry, who provided one of the year’s major upsets with his wire-to-wire victory over Farma Way in the Hollywood Gold Cup in June, figures to be a short price in the $516,400 Hawthorne Gold Cup today at Hawthorne in suburban Chicago, and Gravieres will be heavily favored in the $150,000 Carmel Handicap at Bay Meadows.

In a year in which his horses have won regularly on both dirt and turf--he ranks fourth in the national money standings among trainers--Frankel will be hoping for a reversal of form by Marquetry.

The 4-year-old Conquistador Cielo colt has lost his last three starts after his 27-1 surprise in the Gold Cup and a three-length victory over Festin in the New England Classic.

Most recently, Marquetry was seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Classic when ridden for the first time by English jockey Pat Eddery. In a race without much pace, Eddery didn’t allow Marquetry to use his speed, so it wasn’t surprising that he wasn’t close at the finish.

David Flores will be back aboard today in Illinois. He rode the colt to victories in the Gold Cup and New England Classic and was also aboard when he lost by a nose to The Prime Minister in last month’s Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita.

Marquetry, who will carry 121 pounds in the 1 1/4-mile Hawthorne Gold Cup, will be trying to give Frankel his fourth victory in the Grade II race. He won with Garthorn, Water Bank and Proof.

A 3-year-old daughter of the French sire Saint Estephe, Gravieres will be making her first start for Frankel in the Carmel, which will be simulcast at Hollywood Park from Bay Meadows.

Dismissed at 26-1 in the Harold C. Ramser Handicap Oct. 5 at Santa Anita in her first American outing, Gravieres broke slowly, made a big run wide to get the lead, then wound up half a length behind Flawlessly, who returned to run second in the Yellow Ribbon.

A winner of two of nine races in France, Gravieres will be ridden by Corey Nakatani today. She has had a series of good workouts since the Ramser and went seven furlongs in 1:25 3/5 Sunday.

“My only concern is whether or not she’ll like that turf course,” Frankel said. “A lot of horses from here don’t. I do know she won’t bounce (regress from her last race). I’ve trained enough of these (European) horses and I didn’t run her right back. You can see by the way they’re doing if they’re going to bounce.”

McAnally will saddle the morning line favorite in today’s feature at Hollywood Park, the $100,000-added Silver Belles Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Paseana, an Argentine-bred who was second in her U.S. debut Oct. 14, is the 2-1 choice over Nice Assay and four others in the Grade II event. Chris McCarron will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Ahmad, who has done nearly all of her winning on turf. She is four for six on grass, but has won only once in three starts on dirt.

Nice Assay, a 3-year-old Clever Trick filly, will be seeking her fourth victory in her last five starts. Laffit Pincay is expected back after taking off midway through Friday’s card because of flu.

Trained by Juan Gonzalez, Nice Assay won the Linda Vista Handicap 17 days ago by more than two lengths and came back to work six furlongs in 1:13 Saturday.

“We don’t usually run them back this close together, but she came out of the Linda Vista so well we decided to try this race,” said Gonzalez, the former longtime assistant to the late Joe Manzi. “She was impressive last time, but that was against only 3-year-olds. Now she’s going against older, but she’s doing well now and I expect her to run well.”

Damewood, who will race on Lasix for the first time, Nasers Pride, Luna Elegante and Formidable Lady round out the field for the Silver Belles.

Third behind Twilight Agenda and Scan in the Meadowlands Cup in his last start, Sea Cadet will find the competition much easier Sunday in the $100,000 Lazaro S. Barrera Handicap. Formerly called the Affirmed Handicap, the name of the race was changed to honor Barrera, the Hall of Fame trainer who died earlier this year.

Sea Cadet, a multiple-stakes winner, is the 122-pound high weight and will spot his six opponents from six to eight pounds. Alex Solis will ride for McAnally.

Jack Van Berg will saddle half of the Bolger colt’s opposition--Zig N’ Zag, Kennedy Factor and Multiengine. The other entrants are Doc Of The Day, What A Spell and Medium Cool.

Horse Racing Notes

Prized, who scored his biggest victory in the 1989 Breeders’ Cup Turf and earned more than $2.26 million, has been retired and will stand at Cardiff Stud Farm in Paso Robles. The 5-year-old son of Kris S., who finished sixth in his last start in the Hollywood Gold Cup, also won the 1989 Swaps Stakes, upsetting Sunday Silence, and the Molson Million. . . . The Carmel Handicap will be simulcast between the eighth and ninth races at Hollywood Park.