HOLLYWOOD PARK : Baze Makes His One Ride Count With Victory in the John Henry

Russell Baze didn’t do much to increase his lead in the national jockey standings Sunday.

Ahead of all riders with 208 victories this year, he had only one mount at Hollywood Park.

But Baze, the runaway leader at the current Golden Gate meeting with 166 victories, wasn’t complaining.

Notorious Pleasure was the only horse Baze rode, and the 6-year-old responded with a victory by a head over Marquetry in the $164,300 John Henry Handicap.

The 9-2 second choice to Classic Fame, his stablemate in the Gary Jones barn, Notorious Pleasure is hard to beat wherever he runs, but he’s especially dangerous on the Hollywood Park turf course. Sunday’s victory in a stakes-record 1:45 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles was his fifth in six starts over the grass, and he was third in his only defeat.

“This horse is pretty underrated,” said Jones, who replaced Darrell Vienna--who replaced Hector Palma--as Notorious Pleasure’s trainer. “The race set up perfect for him because there was just enough speed. If you get to the lead too quick with him, he pulls up. He almost did it today.

“He likes to be outside the speed and sit and stalk them. It worked out just right for him.”

Baze, who has two victories and a second in four collaborations with the Mr. Pleasure horse, was slightly behind Repriced most of the way, got the lead inside the final eighth of a mile, then held on to beat a troubled and unlucky Marquetry.

“What a nice old dude he is,” Baze said. “He doesn’t give an inch. He always digs in. He was giving me what he had. The other horse was slowly catching us--luckily, too slowly.

“I didn’t want to make the lead as soon as I did, but (Repriced) kind of caved in and left me on the lead. (Notorious Pleasure) runs better with something to run at. I was sure happy to see the finish line when I did.”

Returning to the grass for the first time since he was beaten by a head by Pharisien in last year’s John Henry, Marquetry surprisingly was taken off the pace, then was forced to steady on the turn when beginning to rally.

“I saw room to go in, but I had to check a little bit and take him outside,” David Flores said. “(Notorious Pleasure) was going and he opened up. I should have gone around, but (trainer) Bobby (Frankel) doesn’t like that. He always says it’s better to save some ground and make one run.

“He finished very strongly. He improved this time. He came from off the pace well, and he finished very strong. It sets him up pretty well for the (June 27 Hollywood) Gold Cup.”

Classic Fame, the 11-10 favorite, was third, nearly two lengths behind Marquetry and three-quarters of a length in front of Blaze O’Brien. Qathif, Repriced, Balleroy and Gum completed the order of finish.

“He needs to be out in the clear to make his run,” Jones said of Marquetry. “All of the races he’s won have been from the outside. The inside post position probably was a detriment to him. He’s not the same when he’s inside a horse. He gets intimidated.”

Hollywood Park will run the first of six Monday programs today. The racing dates were granted by the California Horse Racing Board to make up for the four days lost because of the civil unrest in Los Angeles.

The feature is the $55,000-added Eloquent Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and marks the return of Cadillac Women.

A daughter of Carr De Naskra, she will be making her first start since finishing third at 28-1 behind Pleasant Stage and La Spia in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 2. Before that, she won three of four in Illinois and Kentucky.

Gary Stevens will ride Cadillac Women, who is trained by Charlie Whittingham. She is the 6-5 morning line favorite.

The others in the field are Chimmy Rock, Evening’s Over, Top Bank, Wicked Wit and In Regards. No Mecourtney was scratched Sunday afternoon.

Horse Racing Notes

Dance For Vanny, a 2-year-old daughter of Sovereign Dancer, was impressive in her debut in the fourth race Sunday. A $100,000 purchase at the Barretts March sale by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trained by Juan Gonzalez, Dance For Vanny won by seven lengths, covering five furlongs in 57 3/5. Eddie Delahoussaye rode the 5-2 second choice, who will be one of the top contenders in next month’s Landaluce. . . . Tight Spot, who could return in the American Handicap on July 4, worked five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 Sunday morning. Another Ron McAnally product, Martessa, worked the same distance in 58 3/5. She is getting ready for a date with Kostroma and Flawlessly in the Beverly Hills Handicap on June 28.