SANTA ANITA : Ailing Treekster to Skip Derby

Due to a respiratory infection, California Derby winner Treekster will skip the Kentucky Derby.

After the 3-year-old son of Badger Land worked six furlongs in a slow 1:18 4/5 Thursday morning at Santa Anita, trainer Vladimir Cerin found congestion in his throat.

“The infection is really slight,” Cerin said. “There’s no way you could tell without scoping him. But, the Derby’s out.”

Third in the Jim Beam Stakes and second to A.P. Indy in the San Rafael before beating Disposal in the California Derby, Treekster is “50-50” for the May 16 Preakness, according to his trainer.

Treekster is the second California-based horse to be knocked out of the Derby because of an infection. Santa Anita Derby runner-up Bertrando was scratched from the race nearly two weeks ago. He is recovering, but trainer Bruce Headley has said he would give him some time off and he might skip the Preakness.

Fly Till Dawn was among 10 horses entered Friday morning for Sunday’s $500,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap and trainer Darrell Vienna has confirmed that the gray 6-year-old will be a starter.

With Laffit Pincay sidelined because of his 11th broken collarbone, Pat Valenzuela will take over on the son of Swing Till Dawn for the meeting’s longest race, 1 3/4 miles on the turf. Valenzuela, who has spent most of the week riding for Allen Paulson in Kentucky, last rode Fly Till Dawn on Oct. 7, 1990. He finished third behind Notorious Pleasure and Kanatiyr in the Col. F.W. Koester Handicap.

An impressive wire-to-wire winner of the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey on March 29, Fly Till Dawn will be trying to give Vienna his first victory in the San Juan Capistrano.

Trainer Charlie Whittingham will be seeking his 15th victory in the Grade I race, with Miss Alleged. The 1991 Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s top female performer on grass, Miss Alleged will be trying to become the second mare to win the San Juan. Whittingham won it with La Zanzara in 1975. Chris McCarron will ride Miss Alleged, who will carry 118 pounds.

Others in the field are Missionary Ridge (David Flores), Provins (Eddie Delahoussaye), Wall Street Dancer (Pat Day), Capel Meister (Joe Steiner), Aksar (Gary Stevens), Berillon (Corey Nakatani), Theatre Critic (Alex Solis) and Cool Gold Mood (Kent Desormeaux).

Missionary Ridge and Theatre Critic probably will be entered in Monday’s closing-day $100,000-added San Jacinto Handicap as well. “The San Jacinto is a tough race at 1 1/4 miles,” said Gary Jones, the trainer of Theatre Critic. “If it looks like we have a shot in the San Juan, I’d rather get beat for $500,000.”

Provins, second to Fly Till Dawn in the San Luis Rey, will carry eight fewer pounds (124-116) Sunday. Wall Street Dancer arrived from Florida Thursday and will be a longshot. Aksar was impressive in his first start of the year, Berillon was fifth in an allowance race April 10, Cool Gold Mood was fifth in the San Luis Rey and Capel Meister will be the longest shot in the field.

Horseplayers could be in line for some rest if a proposed racing calendar for 1993 becomes reality.

At its monthly meeting Friday in Monrovia, the California Horse Racing Board listened to a proposal from its Racing Dates Committee that would lead to fewer days of racing.

The calendar drafted and released Friday has Santa Anita beginning its winter meeting Dec. 26, as usual, and ending April 12. Hollywood Park would then begin its spring-summer meeting April 23 and wind up July 19.

Del Mar would begin two days later and finish Sept. 8. Oak Tree at Santa Anita would start Sept. 29 and run through Nov. 8, then Hollywood Park’s fall-winter season would go from Nov. 10 until Dec. 19. The Fairplex Park meeting in Pomona would run from Sept. 10-Sept. 27.

Horse Racing Notes

Kent Desormeaux was fined $500 for failing to ride Akin For Racin’ out past the finish line during Wednesday’s third race. Desormeaux has been criticized in the past for the same offense, but it was the first time he had been fined by the stewards. . . . Heart Of Joy will try for her third victory on Santa Anita’s hillside course when she takes on 10 male rivals in today’s $100,000-added San Simeon Handicap. The 5-year-old mare, who is trained by Gary Jones, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Also in the field are the Vienna-trained entry of Robyn Dancer and Diable Rouge, Hollywood Reporter, Duck And Dive, Ernani, Anjiz, Green Line Express, Time Gentlemen, Regal Groom and Additional Risk.

Santa Anita will simulcast the All American Handicap from Golden Gate Fields today between its sixth and seventh races. Notorious Pleasure, who will be making his first start for Jones, is the 9-5 favorite in a field that also includes Restless Con, Trebizond, Forty Niner Days, Prudent Manner, Gum and Scottish Castle.