SANTA ANITA : Valenzuela Misses Fourth Day, Stewards Take Him Off Mounts

Jockey Pat Valenzuela missed his fourth consecutive day at Santa Anita Wednesday and stewards took him off his three mounts for today’s races.

Not scheduled to ride until the fifth race Wednesday, Valenzuela called the stewards from his home and asked permission to come to the jockey’s room late. Then, about 2 p.m., he called from his car phone, and speaking to Ingrid Fermin, asked to be taken off the four horses he was scheduled to ride.

Unaware that he had been taken off today’s mounts, Valenzuela was told to meet with the stewards before 10:30 this morning. The 30-year-old jockey has missed 17 of the first 59 days of the Santa Anita season. Steward Tom Ward said he doesn’t expect a fine or suspension to result from today’s meeting.

Recently bothered by a virus, Valenzuela has also complained of a stiff back from an injury suffered in the fourth race on March 10. Valenzuela strained his back as he attempted to restrain Eldorado Mint after the 3-year-old broke through the gate before the start. He has been treated by his own doctor.

Mike Kilpack, the southern regional supervisor of the California Horse Racing Board, and CHRB investigator Bob DeJournette went to Valenzuela’s home Sunday to collect a urine sample after the jockey called the stewards to tell them he was not riding. The test was negative, according to Kilpack.

With Valenzuela absent, Chris McCarron picked up the mount on Corby in Sunday’s San Felipe Stakes and the colt responded with an upset over Personal Hope and River Special.

Valenzuela also lost two winners Wednesday--Cheri Creame in the fifth and Snowy Music in the seventh.

After disappointing at 7-10 odds in her last start, Miss Timebank rebounded in her first start on turf, beating Voluptuous by a length in the $82,550 La Habra Stakes.

Giving Kent Desormeaux the third of his four winners on the day, the 3-year-old Water Bank filly put away favored Frans Lass, opened up two lengths with a furlong to run and went on to her second victory in four starts, covering the near 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.

Voluptuous, an 8-1 shot, beat Frans Lass by three-quarters of a length for second, then came Amal Hayati, Booklore, Nijivision, My Irish Lady and Longing To Dance.

“I took the blinkers off for this race,” winning trainer Gary Jones said.

“She just seemed to be running in place with them on, trying too hard. Rafael (Becerra, Jones’ top assistant) did a good job with her since her last race. She’s put on 30 pounds. She doesn’t quite seem to get ahold of this (main) track, which is why I tried her on the grass.

“I think she relaxes more with the blinkers off. I told Kent to go (for the lead), but if someone gets nuts, to let them go. I have no race in mind for her next start. I’ll just freshen her up a bit.”

River Special, who finished next-to-last in his first start of 1993 in the San Felipe Stakes last Sunday, might skip the Santa Anita Derby and run a week later in the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

“He was a little tired (Tuesday),” trainer Bob Hess said. “We plan to work him once, perhaps twice, before the Santa Anita Derby (April 3). The works will give us a big indication as to whether he can be ready for the race or not.

“I’d say I’ll probably work him two times before the race, perhaps five-eighths next Tuesday and longer on March 29.”

If the Del Mar and Hollywood Futurity winner isn’t ready for the local Derby, Hess said the California Derby “is in the back of our minds.”

Jockey Mickey Walls left California on Sunday and has returned to ride in his native Canada.

“He had a chance to go back and ride for two of the biggest stables in Canada,” agent Ray Kravagna said. “He had an ultimatum to be at Greenwood (in Toronto) on opening day (March 21), so he left Sunday and was driving up there.”

Walls, 18, who came to California at the start of the Santa Anita meeting, won with 10 of 173 mounts. His biggest victory came aboard Jovial in the $158,900 San Pasqual Handicap on Jan. 24.

Horse Racing Notes

Lite Light, who had not won a race since 1991, has been sold by rap star Hammer’s Oaktown Stable to Japanese owner-breeder Mitsuo Haga and will be bred in Kentucky to A.P. Indy. . . . Kent Desormeaux also swept the early double with Sexy Smile and Coy But Tough, then won the finale on 11-1 shot Says It Twice. . . . Desormeaux, Alex Solis and Eddie Delahoussaye will be at Golden Gate to ride in the San Francisco Mile. Solis will ride Qathif. Delahoussaye has the mount on Flying Brave and Desormeaux will be aboard Norwich. . . . Chris McCarron will ride Tossofthecoin in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds on Saturday while Martin Pedroza will ride Crafty in the same race. . . . Miss Timebank paid $15.80 as the 6-1 fourth choice in the La Habra. . . . Trainer John Sadler said a decision will be made next week whether Corby stays to run in the Santa Anita Derby or goes to Keeneleand for the Blue Grass Stakes a week later.