THOROUGHBRED RACING : Dollase’s Fortune Could Change With Return of Itsallgreektome

When Itsallgreektome returned to the Wally Dollase stable at Hollywood Park on Thursday, the 1990 turf champ brought along a ray of much-needed sunshine. Things have been a little grim in the shed row this year.

First, “The Greek” went to the sidelines in March with a cracked left front cannon bone. Surgery was required, and the 5-year-old gelding spent the last two months recuperating at the Rio Vista Farm of his owner, Jheri Redding.

Not long after Itsallgreektome was injured, Algenib, a fiery horse from Argentina, was transferred from Dollase to Ron McAnally by majority owner Juan Bauer. Algenib has won both of his races for McAnally, including the $400,000 Golden Gate Handicap last Saturday.

Things were looking up, though, when the French import Saintry came through for Dollase and Redding in his first U.S. start, the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita on April 15. Dollase figured he had a real star on the rise.

But then Saintry finished fifth in the Will Rogers Handicap at Hollywood on May 23 and emerged from the race with a virus. He missed two weeks of training and will sit out the $100,000 Cinema Handicap at Hollywood on Sunday.

“It’s typical of European horses,” Dollase said. “They put out a big first effort, and it stresses them. Since they haven’t been exposed to all our bugs yet and developed the immunities, they become susceptible.

“That’s the trouble with light viruses, though,” the trainer added. “Even after the Will Rogers there was no temperature, the horse was eating good and training good. The only thing I noticed was that he was sweating a little excessively for the amount of work I was giving him, and his nostrils were flaring a little more than usual. So we took a blood test and discovered a high white count.”

It is a familiar story. A well-fancied horse runs poorly, and it turns out he was on the verge of an illness. Can’t these things be detected before a race?

“Maybe we should be taking a blood count the day we enter them,” Dollase suggested. “Although these tests aren’t all that accurate, either. They can fool you. And owners are already complaining about too many vet bills.

“Anyway, you can’t have the vet training the horse,” Dollase said. “The trainer has to have the experience in picking things up. You get a gut feeling when you’ve been around horses a long time. You notice little things that weren’t there the day before.”

Saintry will be back this summer, and Dollase plans a Chicago invasion, the colt running in races such as the $75,000 Round Table Stakes on July 11 and the $300,000 American Derby on July 25 at Arlington International.

In Chicago last summer, Dollase came within a whisker of grabbing the brass ring when Algenib came flying at the end of the Arlington Million. He barely missed catching Tight Spot, who is trained by McAnally.

Such memories made watching the Golden Gate Handicap that much more painful for Dollase last Saturday when it was simulcast live to Hollywood Park.

“That was not easy for me,” he said. “I love the horse, and I knew he was always going to be a good one eventually.”

Dollase lost Algenib shortly after the horse finished last in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7, the same day Itsallgreektome was injured running second in the Arcadia Handicap.

“Compared to what Wally went through, my experience was a picnic,” said Ian Jory, who lost Best Pal to Gary Jones last summer.

Dollase rejects the idea that Algenib was too much horse for his people to handle.

“He’s a very temperamental horse with a ton of ability,” the trainer said. “But things have to be going his way, or he’ll spit out the bit, like he did in the Santa Anita Handicap.

“Actually, he’s still got a lot of spirit,” Dollase added. “I see him all the time training. He hasn’t changed a hell of a lot. But the horse is acclimated now. It takes a lot of South Americans about a year to do that.”

Through it all, Dollase has remained philosophical.

“This training game isn’t as difficult as owners and people on the sidelines think it is,” he said. “Some people just give themselves more credit than others. It’s really the horses who make you look good.

“I was fortunate to win $300,000 with Algenib, and that helped put food on my family’s table. I’ve just got to look for another one, that’s all.”

Horse Racing Notes

Neil Drysdale reports that Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy has settled into a monthlong rest at Santa Anita. The acrylic patch protecting the quarter crack on his left front foot has been removed, and the colt is getting doses of gelatin to promote hoof growth. Borrowing a page from the Francois Boutin handbook of press relations--as observed during this year’s convoluted Arazi saga--the dry-witted Drysdale said that for the next several weeks A.P. Indy will be “doing fine.” Then, when he returns to the track for light training, Drysdale said A.P. Indy will be “progressing nicely.” You can quote him.

The Name’s Jimmy, who won the Will Rogers after running second to Saintry at Santa Anita, heads the field for Sunday’s Cinema. The nine-furlong turf event should also attract Bien Bien, Bold Assert, Bright Day Bob and Anaesthetist. . . . In Saturday’s Princess Stakes, She’s Tops will face the two fillies she beat in the Railbird Stakes--Magical Maiden and Race The Wild Wind--while stretching out from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Looie Capote and Gettin’ Air complete the field.

Kentucky thoroughbred breeder William S. Farish was selected chairman of Churchill Downs on Thursday, succeeding Warner L. Jones Jr. Farish operates Lane’s End Farm in Versailles and has bred--either alone or in partnership--such champions as the 1992 Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy and 1990 Preakness winner Summer Squall.