SANTA ANITA : Vying Victor Makes Desormeaux a Prophet--and Black a Winner

Kent Desormeaux had a message for trainer Ian Jory after Vying Victor finished third behind Al Sabin and Turbulent Kris in an allowance race Jan. 11.

“Those two won’t beat him next time,” the jockey said.

Desormeaux proved a prophet, but he wasn’t smiling after Wednesday’s $84,750 Santa Catalina Stakes at Santa Anita.

The reason: For the first time in Vying Victor’s four American starts, Desormeaux didn’t ride the Flying Paster colt.

Desormeaux’s agent, Gene Short, had booked him on Turbulent Kris before he knew Vying Victor was going to be a participant in the Santa Catalina.

In front every step of the way under new rider Corey Black, Vying Victor, a 9-1 shot, scooted away from Turbulent Kris in the final furlong and won by three lengths in 1:44 1/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Turbulent Kris, the 2-1 second choice, finished second by a half-length over Al Sabin, the 8-5 favorite. Solid Truth was fourth, then came Buck Ogygian, Chain Of Life, Novelty Hill, Aly Flight, Silent Raj, Anonymouslew and Dolly’s Fortune, who was pulled up by Chris McCarron after six furlongs.

After breaking his maiden in his fourth start in England, Vying Victor was sent to the United States by owner Marvin Malmuth. He had finished eighth, second and third in his previous three tries for Jory before the Santa Catalina.

“He was OK in England and looked like a horse who was developing all the time,” Jory said. “Of course, he ran on turf there. There’s so little chance to run him on turf here, I tried him on dirt last time. He’s a Flying Paster, so he should be fine on dirt. He needed the race the last time.

“He’s been improving and improving. He’s just developing by himself.”

Black was more than happy to take his place on the winner, who earned $51,000 and paid $21.20.

“When I asked him turning for home, he kicked,” Black said. “I really didn’t get after him until the eighth pole because he was a little slow switching leads.

“He’s the kind of horse that tries hard. He doesn’t want to let a horse by him. Every time a horse would come up to him on the backstretch, he would inch away.”

On the first mandatory payout day of the meeting in the Pick Nine, nobody was able to sweep the card, so $250,000 remains in the pool.

A victory by either Pleasurekite, who was third as the favorite, or Going Easy, who finished sixth, would have given somebody the Pick Nine. There were three tickets with eight winners each worth $248,843.20.

Milt Bronson, the owner of Megan’s Interco, who finished second in Sunday’s California Breeders’ Champion Stakes, has filed an appeal with the California Horse Racing Board.

Bronson is appealing the stewards’ decision not to disqualify Irish Twist, the winner of the race, for alleged interference through the stretch. Santa Anita stewards Pete Pedersen, Ingrid Fermin and Thomas Ward disallowed jockey Laffit Pincay’s claim of foul after the race, saying both his mount (Megan’s Interco) and Irish Twist, who was ridden by Frank Alvarado, were responsible for the bumping between the two 3-year-olds.

“I think he has a good case,” Pincay said. “There wasn’t a jockey in here that didn’t agree with me (that Irish Twist should have been disqualified). After I watched the replay, I told the stewards that I disagreed completely with their decision.”

Horse Racing Notes

Soviet Sojourn, who was third in the Hollywood Starlet in her last start, will make her 1992 debut in Saturday’s $100,000 added Santa Ynez Breeders’ Cup Stakes at seven furlongs. Other possible starters are Wicked Wit, Looie Capote, Icy Eyes, Peaceful Road, Arking, No Mecourttney and Galore’s Magic. . . . In Excess, who won’t accept his 124-pound assignment for the $500,000 Donn Handicap Saturday at Gulfstream Park, will make his first start of the year in the San Antonio Handicap Feb. 15 The Donn, which will be simulcast at Santa Anita, is the first race in the American Championship Racing Series. . . . Martin Pedroza will be at Golden Gate today to ride Fluttery Danseur in the Vallejo Stakes.

The upsets by Vying Victor and Heyrobbin ($57.80 in the ninth race) also triggered a carryover in the Pick Six of $115,265.42. . . . Gramy Award, who turned in his second consecutive terrible effort in as many U.S. starts as a well-bet favorite, was found to have a hairline fracture in one of his knees and will be out for several months. . . . Jack Disney, dismissed as Hollywood Park’s director of media relations Jan. 7, has been hired by Santa Anita to assist in “publicity efforts.” A longtime columnist for the Herald Examiner, Disney will be a media liaison and work primarily from his home in Lomita.