NOTEBOOK : Luv Me Luv Me Not Scores an Upset in Oaks

Luv Me Luv Me Not, a filly who was unable to win consistently in California earlier this year, scored a half-length victory Friday in the $280,700 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

A crowd of 79,824, a record for Oaks day, saw the owner-trainer-jockey team of Allen Paulson, Dick Lundy and Pat Valenzuela win two consecutive stakes before the Oaks. Fowda won the $155,000 Louisville Budweiser Breeders’ Cup by two lengths, and Cudas was a half-length winner in the $191,850 Early Times Turf Classic.

Favored Arazi, who will race in Paulson’s colors, will be ridden by Valenzuela in the Kentucky Derby today.

Luv Me Luv Me Not, who was trained by Bill Delia in California, was saddled by Glenn Wismer on Friday and ridden by Fabio Arguello Jr., who was riding his fourth winner of the day. Luv Me Luv Me Not, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 2/5, won the Lassie at Bay Meadows on Jan. 1, then was third in the Bay Meadows Oaks and fourth in the Las Virgenes at Santa Anita. In her last start, she ran third at Keeneland, finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind Prospectors Delite in the Ashland Stakes.

Pleasant Stage, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies here last year, finished second Friday, half a length ahead of Prospectors Delite, who was a neck ahead of Golden Treat. Pacific Hideaway and Miss Legality rounded out the field.

Luv Me Luv Me Not, owned by Philip Maas, a Minneapolis automobile dealer, paid $25.60 to win. Prospectors Delite, who went off at 1-2, was undefeated in five starts before Friday.

Cudas set a course record, running 1 1/8 miles in 1:46 2/5. Sky Classic, the 8-5 favorite on a sunny, 80-degree day, was second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Fourstars Allstar. After them, in order, came Leger Cat, Buckhar, Eternity Star, Super Abound, Spending Record, Gay’s Best Boy, Stage Colony, Silver Medallion and Quintana.

Cudas, who paid $7.40, had not run on dirt or in the United States before he finished last in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here last year. Valenzuela rode the 4-year-old son of Seattle Song when he returned to grass, finishing third in the Fort Harrod Stakes at Keeneland nine days ago.

“I eased him up the last 30 or 40, because I knew Sky Classic wasn’t closing, and he still broke the track record,” Valenzuela said. “That’s two down and one to go. I just hope it ends up the same tomorrow.”

Fowda, a daughter of Strawberry Road, was the second choice, paying $8.20. Dance Colony ran second and Fit Queen, at 7-10, was third in a field of seven.

Arazi is the 3-5 favorite after Friday’s early betting on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The pool went over $1 million, a record for preliminary betting. The win pool was about half of the total.

Technology was second in the betting at 6-1, followed by A.P. Indy at 10-1, Pistols And Roses at 14-1, the field horses of Snappy Landing, Thyer, Sir Pinder, West By West, Ecstatic Ride, My Luck Runs North and Disposal at 14-1; Lil E. Tee and Pine Bluff at 17-1; Conte Di Savoya at 19-1, Dr Devious at 24-1, Devil His Due at 30-1, and Casual Lies and the entry of Al Sabin and Dance Floor at 45-1.

Before giving a rap concert here Friday night and watching his Dance Floor run in today’s Kentucky Derby, Hammer commented about the rioting in Los Angeles.

“I’m telling people to hold on and try to approach this in an intelligent manner, because we don’t want to hurt ourselves. We’re already hurting and we can only get in deeper with violence.”

The forecast for Derby day is temperatures in the low 80s, partly cloudy skies and a chance of thunderstorms. Post time for the Derby is 2:32 p.m. PDT.

The Derby purse is a record $984,800, with $734,800 going to the winner.