SANTA ANITA : Jockey, Track Groups Will Confer in Bid to Avert Strike Wednesday

Santa Anita president Cliff Goodrich is hopeful a conference call scheduled for 8 a.m. today will lead to a resolution of the dispute between the Thoroughbred Racing Assn. and the Jockeys’ Guild that might lead to a jockey strike Wednesday.

Representatives of the TRA, Jockeys’ Guild and their respective attorneys will participate in the call. “This is the first time all the right people will be on the phone talking to each other,” said Goodrich, who, along with Bob Bork and Tom Meeker, is a member of the TRA executive committee. “I remain optimistic this will be resolved.”

While Goodrich is hopeful, the jockeys are not. “I’m not optimistic at all,” Gary Stevens said. “If they sign our contract, I’ll ride. I’m not happy with the terminology in regards to the television rights.

“Obviously, (the TRA) thinks we are what a lot of people call us--pinheads. Everybody sees that simulcasting is on the horizon, and we have to stand up for (TV rights) right now.”

The day after the TRA put together a proposal for the Guild to consider, there were no new developments because the Guild’s counsel was unavailable Saturday.

Entries will be taken this morning for Wednesday’s program, and all of the jockeys who rode at Santa Anita on Saturday said they won’t allow their agents to book them on any horses. Goodrich said replacement jockeys will be assigned so that racing can proceed if the riders go on strike.

If a settlement is reached, the regular jockeys will ride. “I expect entries to proceed basically as normal,” Goodrich said. “This preserves their rights as well as preserving our rights. We’ve made no efforts to solicit riders from outside the state.”

On an afternoon when horses close to the lead dominated, Prince Wild came from last to win the $80,625 San Miguel Stakes.

Sealed rock hard Friday night before rain later, the main track produced fast times all day. Labeled good before the first race, it was quickly shifted to fast after Thatwaslongago, a $20,000 claimer, ran six furlongs in 1:08 2/5.

Making his first start since finishing third at Del Mar in the Balboa Stakes on Aug. 21, Prince Wild, the 2-1 second choice, rallied along the inside and defeated Salt Lake, the 11-10 favorite who was coupled with Richard Of England, by three-quarters of a length. Prince Wild was timed in 1:08 1/5.

“He had a throat infection when we ran him at Del Mar,” trainer Jack Van Berg said after the Wild Again colt won for the third time in seven starts. “We stopped (training) him to clear it up and give him time to develop. We let him tell us when he was ready.

“I liked him coming from off the pace. Down the backside, he was back a little farther than I would have liked, but I knew they were boiling up front and Gary (Stevens) wasn’t concerned. He’ll be a good 3-year-old. He’s got a lot of talent, and he’ll go a route of ground.”

Stevens, who has been aboard for all three of Prince Wild’s victories, said the colt has improved since the summer.

“He’s matured quite a bit,” he said. “I didn’t want to be as far back as I was, but he relaxed and came back to me real well.”

Salt Lake was 5 1/2 lengths in front of Fabulous Champ, then came Zafiro Delmar, Bossanova and Richard Of England.

The La Brea Stakes, the first leg of the La Canada Series, will be run in two divisions this afternoon.

Twenty 3-year-old fillies were entered Friday morning for the seven-furlong La Brea, and each division had 10 entrants. There was one scratch Saturday--Exchange, who drew the rail in the first division, which will be run as the fifth race.

Topping the field in the first division are Good Potential, Cuddles, Garden Gal and Sha Tha.

In her first start with Lasix, Good Potential stumbled at the break, yet came on to beat Forest Fealty by two lengths. It was the fifth victory in eight starts for the Relaunch filly; Alex Solis again has the mount for Tom Proctor.

Cuddles scored her first victory since the 1990 Hollywood Starlet last month at Hollywood Park. Garden Gal will add blinkers today and Sha Tha was beaten by only 2 1/4 lengths by Flawlessly in the Matriarch and will be making her main-track debut.

In the second division, Nice Assay will race on Lasix for the first time after finishing fifth in the Silver Belles Handicap Nov. 23 at Hollywood Park. The Clever Trick filly has won three of her last four dirt starts at Santa Anita.

Others in the field are Ifyoucouldseemenow, Suziqcute, Lady Isis, Teresa Mc, Cara Carissima, Slip With Me, Damewood, Middlefork Rapids and Remarkably Easy.

Horse Racing Notes

Entries were taken for Tuesday’s $75,000 Pasadena Stakes. Ten 2-year-old fillies were entered in the six-furlong race, including Top Bank, who is unbeaten in two starts; Melo Melody; Captivant, and the Brian Mayberry-trained duo of Miss Iron Smoke and Peaceful Road. . . . Pat Valenzuela and Corey Nakatani both won twice Saturday.