HOLLYWOOD PARK : Earl Of Barking Lets Cross End Slump With Spotlight Victory

Winless through the first four months of 1993 in Southern California, trainer Richard Cross brought out a course specialist to end his dry spell.

Earl Of Barking, an impressive winner of the Hoist The Flag Stakes at Hollywood Park in his first start in the United States, was even more dominant in the $104,275 Spotlight Breeders’ Cup Handicap Saturday.

The 8-5 favorite in the field of 10 3-year-olds, the Irish-bred scored a 2 3/4-length victory over Lykatill Hil in a stakes-record 1:33 4/5 for the mile.

Kept wide by Alex Solis while off of the pace, Earl Of Barking surged through the stretch to win for the fourth time in seven turf starts. Lykatill Hil, making his turf debut after finishing next-to-last in the Blue Grass Stakes, rallied from far back for second, a length ahead of 53-1 shot Elkhart.

This was the first race on grass for Earl Of Barking since the Hoist The Flag. He tried the main track twice, finishing third, beaten by a dozen lengths by River Special, then was sixth in the Santa Anita Derby. Apparently, he will remain on his favorite surface in the immediate future.

“He’s always shown to be a very good turf horse,” said Cross, who saw a 34-race slump end. “We just had to decide whether it was worth doing the dirt or not. After today, I guess we’ll stick with the turf.

“He had 120 pounds today. That’s not a great place to start. I hope he’ll like any turf course, but maybe he just likes firm ground.”

Solis, who has been aboard Earl Of Barking in all four of his American races, rode him with confidence Saturday.

“I was caught a little bit wide and wanted to drop in, but there were too many horses (on the inside), so I just decided to stay outside. I had the best horse and I didn’t want to get him in trouble. I just kept him out in the clear, he switched leads and he really won easy. I think he has a great future.”

Sun And Shade, who has won three of her four starts in this country and four of five overall, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the $108,500 Wilshire Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

Away since a Feb. 4 victory at Santa Anita after suffering a hoof injury, the 4-year-old filly will face six opponents in the Grade II, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Trained by Neil Drysdale and to be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, Sun And Shade will be making her stakes debut, but she has trained well and has won both of her starts on the Hollywood Park turf.

Wedding Ring, who was second to Visible Gold in the Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap three weeks ago, is the 3-1 second choice. Toussaud is 7-2, Visible Gold 4-1, Golden Treat 9-2 and both Charm A Gendarme and Gumpher are 15-1.

Visible Gold gave apprentice jockey Sal Gonzalez Jr. his first stakes victory in her last start and the 5-year-old Deputy Minister mare has won six of 18 for owners John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery.

Golden Treat finished a distant second in her first race of the year last month and figures to improve with the extra distance while Toussaud was third in her American debut and also should improve.

Still angry about the last-minute cancellation of five simulcast races from Churchill Downs, Hollywood Park management was handing out postcards to fans Saturday addressed to the California Horse Racing Board.

After beginning with an apology, the postcard asked fans to read the remainder, and if in agreement with the content, to sign it and mail it to the CHRB.

The bottom portion of the card read: “As a fan of thoroughbred racing, I am sending this card to register my objection to the action by the California Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn. to stop the simulcast wagering on the five additional stakes races from Churchill Downs.

“In addition to this action, which has cost the state much needed revenue, it created great inconvenience and confusion for loyal fans such as myself. I implore the board to consider the fans and the well being of the sport first and foremost, and to take measures to insure that this unfortunate and unnecessary incident never happens again.”

Horse Racing Notes

Egocentric, a 14-1 shot ridden by Goncalino Almeida, held on to win the $60,000 Bedside Promise Handicap, beating Prospect For Four by a length in 1:09 1/5 for the six furlongs. Heavily favored Individualist was fourth. . . . The old Spotlight record was 1:34, set by Bel Air Dancer in the first division of the race in 1988. . . . Hollywood Park will simulcast the $100,000 California Oaks from Golden Gate Fields today between the fifth and sixth races. Soviet Problem, unbeaten in four starts, is the 6-5 morning-line favorite in her first start around two turns and on turf. The other entrants in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks are Sweet Mama, Evening Highlight, Fondly Remembered, Amal Hayati and Steal A March. . . . Slerp, trained by Bob Hess Jr., will seek his second consecutive stakes victory in New York when he meets Alydeed and nine others in the $150,000 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. Jose Santos will ride Slerp, who won the Bold Ruler on April 9. Alydeed, who worked a half-mile in 45 3/5 on Wednesday, is perfect in two starts this year, winning at Gulfstream Park and at Keeneland.