HOLLYWOOD PARK : Jolypha Impressive in ’93 Debut

Even though it was only a $50,000 allowance race, Bobby Frankel was anxious Saturday. “Believe me, I don’t get this nervous running in a million-dollar race,” the trainer said.

Frankel is resting easier now because Jolypha’s long-awaited 1993 debut is over and the 4-year-old Lyphard filly won impressively enough to show she’s as good as advertised. Frankel, who has had more than his share of quality thoroughbreds, has called her the best horse he has ever trained.

The 2-5 favorite against four outclassed rivals, Jolypha found herself boxed in for about three-eighths of a mile, but when room developed with a furlong to run, she took charge.

Although the margin of victory was only 1 1/4 lengths, the Juddmonte Farms-owned miss was never asked to run by Corey Black. Her first race of the year was little more than a 1:41 mile-and-a-sixteenth workout on the grass.

“She’s got such a turn of foot, if anything opened up, she’d get her way through,” Frankel said. “She wouldn’t hesitate at all. I told Corey to have something to run at in the stretch. He felt she was a little bit fresh, so he didn’t want to even let her run a little bit early because she might have just taken off on him.”

For Black, the ride was a one-time shot. Kent Desormeaux will be Jolypha’s regular rider, but he was at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday to ride Norwich in the $300,000 Golden Gate Handicap.

“It was pretty obvious that if she fired anything close to a good race, she was going to outclass them,” Black said. “You consider the possibility of getting into trouble, but when you’ve got that much horse you’re not going to get in trouble--those kind don’t get in trouble.”

Two possibilities were suggested by Frankel for Jolypha’s next start--either the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on May 31 or the $300,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on June 27. She would meet males in the Turf Handicap; the Beverly Hills is restricted to fillies and mares.

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If Frankel’s day was made by Jolypha’s successful return, it got even better when Val Des Bois romped to an easy victory in the Golden Gate Handicap.

Trailing early under Pat Valenzuela, the 7-year-old Bellypha horse started his rally on the far turn, then sailed past pacesetter Norwich to win by six lengths in 1:48 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles, equaling the course record.

This was the second consecutive stakes victory for Val Des Bois, who defeated Star Of Cozzene in the El Rincon Handicap last month at Santa Anita. Coupled in the betting with Frankel’s other entrant, Never Black, who finished third, Val Des Bois paid $3 as the 1-2 favorite. Portoferraio was fourth and Valenti last in the compact field.

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Bold Windy remained perfect in three Hollywood Park starts with a head victory over La Spia in the $110,700 A Gleam Handicap.

Giving owner-breeder Ray Dilbeck, 65, his biggest victory, the 5-1 shot battled with La Spia, a 12-1 outsider, through some rapid fractions (21 4/5, 44 and 1:08 2/5 for six furlongs) and won in 1:21 3/5 under Gary Stevens. Bountiful Native, the 17-10 favorite, was third, a half-length behind La Spia.

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Funeral services for Robert P. Strub, Santa Anita’s chairman of the board and chief executive officer, will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Felicitas and Perpetual Church in San Marino.

Horse Racing Notes

Jovial suffered a slight leg bruise on Thursday, so he will not be a starter in the $600,000 Pimlico Special on Saturday. The Special also lost Lil E. Tee because of a throat infection. Jovial’s trainer, Bruce Jackson, said the injury isn’t serious and the 6-year-old will be pointed to the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 3. . . . Alnasr Alwasheek is the 8-5 favorite for today’s feature, the $165,100 John Henry Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.