HOLLYWOOD PARK : Another Review Stays Hot, Wins Californian

If Kent Desormeaux has his way, Another Review and Best Pal won’t get together in the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup in three weeks.

Desormeaux is the rider of both and would like for them to avoid each other for as long as possible.

Whether or not Hollywood Park’s leading jockey gets his wish remains to be seen. Once considered unlikely for the Gold Cup, Best Pal might race if the weights are satisfactory to trainer Gary Jones and owner John Mabee.

Another Review would have to be supplemented for $25,000; owner Thomas Mellon Evans has until June 19 to decide.

Saving a day that had started out poorly for Evans and trainer Chris Speckert when Pleasant Stage ran last in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park, Another Review scored his third consecutive victory in the $209,400 Californian on Sunday.

Unbeaten since being treated with Lasix, the 7-10 favorite took the lead on the backstretch and went on to beat Defensive Play by nearly two lengths in 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles.

“This horse is just so good right now. . . . I don’t what it’s going to take to beat him. He’s just phenomenal,” Desormeaux said of the 4-year-old Buckaroo colt.

“He’s just like Best Pal in that he doesn’t like dirt in his face and he can go fast and he can sit off the pace. When the man says go, he’s gone, too, so they’re identical horses.

“He’s been so consistent. He just dragged me around there. As Pat Day says, I just tried to become a good passenger and not get in his way.”

Defensive Play, the 5-1 third choice, rallied from next-to-last to be second, two lengths in front of Ibero. Sir Beaufort, the 4-1 second choice while coupled with Excavate, was fourth, beaten by almost seven lengths.

Although Sir Beaufort didn’t run as well as he had when second in the Mervyn LeRoy, he acted up again at the starting gate. He delayed the start three weeks earlier and was unwilling to load again Sunday. He finally was backed into the gate.

“In the morning, he’ll walk right in,” trainer Charlie Whittingham said.

“If he goes right in, he’s all right. If you bring him up with the pony and load him right away, he’ll go. But they load the other ones first.”

All except Another Review and Loach were put in the gate before Sir Beaufort.

The $300,000 Beverly Hills Handicap, which will be run June 28, is shaping up as the best race of the Hollywood Park meeting.

Whittingham says Flawlessly, who won the Matriarch over the local turf course in December, will probably make her first start of 1992 in the Grade I race. Expected to join her are Kostroma, Martessa and Lady Blessington.

A 4-year-old daughter of Affirmed, Flawlessly worked seven furlongs in 1:28 1/5 Thursday morning.

“(The Beverly Hills) will work out nice for us,” Whittingham said. “She’s doing well and that’s the plan, barring the unforeseen.”

Horse Racing Notes

Trainer Brad MacDonald, who saddled Another Review with Speckert in New York, won two races Sunday. Desert Scandal broke her maiden in the fourth race. Then Forest Glow, in his first start since Nov. 9, beat another comebacker, Sunny Blossom, by a head to win the $55,000 Chinook Pass Handicap.

Paseana was assigned top weight of 125 pounds for Saturday’s Milady Handicap. Trainer Ron McAnally’s 5-year-old mare, who has won five consecutive stakes, will either run in the Milady or ship to Baltimore for the $250,000 Pimlico Distaff June 20. Brought To Mind, who is also trained by McAnally, was assigned 120 pounds and will run in the Milady if Paseana doesn’t. Brought To Mind worked five furlongs in 59 seconds Sunday morning.

Trainer Rafael Martinez was fined $750 and placed on probation through the term of his license for violating California Horse Racing Board rules 1530 (program trainer) and 1894 (duties of trainer). According to steward Tom Ward, Martinez was listed in the program as a trainer for a horse at Santa Anita with which he had no connection.

Jennifer Borges, an exercise rider and former Hollywood Park Goose Girl, was fined $200 by the stewards after being involved in an altercation with Amanda McKaughan, another exercise rider. Both were also placed on probation through the terms of their licenses.