HOLLYWOOD PARK : Paseana Favored to End Slump With a Repeat in the Milady

It is hard to believe that Paseana hasn’t won a race in California in nearly 11 months.

Since her victory in the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park last July 19, the Eclipse Award-winning mare has gone winless in three starts in her home state. Paseana’s losing streak began when she finished fifth against males in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, then she was upset twice at Santa Anita earlier this year.

The 6-year-old mare’s mini-slump is expected to end this afternoon in the $162,000 Milady Handicap. Her trainer, Ron McAnally, will be seeking his fifth consecutive victory in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade I race, and Paseana is the 3-5 morning line favorite.

Beaten by stablemate Race The Wild Wind and Southern Truce in the Santa Maria and Santa Margarita Handicaps, respectively, Paseana was sent to Oaklawn Park and won the Apple Blossom for the second year in a row. Placed near the pace by Chris McCarron, Sid and Jenny Craig’s mare drew clear in the final furlong and won by 3 1/2 lengths.

Rested since that April 16 victory, Paseana has trained well for McAnally. She won last year’s Milady by 4 1/2 lengths carrying 125 pounds, the same weight she will have today.

“She’s been working well and she’s been acting well,” said McAnally, who chose the Milady over the Hempstead Handicap at Belmont Park because Paseana was assigned 126 pounds for that race.

Only six fillies and mares will challenge the Argentine-bred, who passed $2 million in earnings with her victory in the Apple Blossom, and none of them was assigned more than 114 pounds.

Re Toss, second in the Milady in 1992, is back and will have a new rider today. Eddie Delahoussaye replaces Adalberto Lopez on the 6-year-old mare, who finished fourth in the recent Hawthorne Handicap behind the late Freedom Cry.

The rest of the field, from the rail: Steff Graf, third in the Sixty Sails Handicap last month at Sportsman’s Park; A Gleam Handicap winner Bold Windy, who will be trying two turns for the first time; Guiza, who is often close, but seldom wins; La Spia, second in the A Gleam in her first start in 4 1/2 months, and Shes A Sure Bet, fifth in the Hawthorne.

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McAnally might also have the favorite in the $107,500 Inglewood Handicap on Sunday.

Johann Quatz, who failed at low odds in an allowance race after an impressive victory in his U.S. debut, might be the betting favorite in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, even though the colt who beat him, Tertian, was among five others entered Friday morning.

Also entered was Journalism, who was purchased for a reported $35,000 earlier this year and has won four consecutive races at four tracks.

Bought by trainer Wally Dollase for owner Richard Stephen after a fourth-place finish in the Double Discount at Santa Anita on Feb. 13, the 5-year-old Publicity gelding scored a 25-1 upset in the Crystal Water at Santa Anita on March 20. He then won the Tiburon at Golden Gate, the Shoemaker Handicap at Hollywood Park and the Sea O’Erin Handicap at Arlington Park.

Alex Solis will ride Journalism, highweight in the Inglewood at 118 pounds.

“I thought he was a good investment,” said Dollase, who bred the gelding’s dam, Knowledgeable Lady. “But I only thought he’d be a nice Cal-bred--I figured I’d point him to the Cal Cup Mile again. He’s strong now, training great and ready to go.”

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A national Pick 3 will be offered twice in July when ESPN begins its SummerStakes program, a nationwide racing telecast featuring three major stakes at three tracks.

The first show on July 3 will feature the Hollywood Gold Cup from Hollywood Park, the Dwyer Stakes from Belmont Park and the Molly Pitcher Handicap from Monmouth Park. Fans will be able to bet on all three of those races, and there will be a national Pick 3.

The second telecast, on July 24, will offer the Swaps Stakes from Hollywood Park, the Iselin Handicap from Monmouth and the Top Flight Handicap from Belmont.

Produced by the Thoroughbred Racing Assns. and the American Championship Racing Series, SummerStakes has been approved by the national president of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn. and the CHBPA.

Horse Racing Notes

Exchange suffered a wrenched ankle when finishing last in the Gamely Handicap last month and will be sidelined indefinitely. . . . Never Black is the morning-line favorite for the $100,000 Rolling Green Handicap today at Golden Gate Fields, a race that will be simulcast at Hollywood Park. Corey Nakatani will ride Never Black for trainer Bobby Frankel and will have only five opponents--Tax Collection, Lanner, Slew Of Damascus, Emerald Jig and the filly Party Cited.

Panamanian jockey Cornelio Velasquez, who began riding at Hollywood Park last week, scored his first U.S. victory, on 11-1 shot Back To Persia in Thursday’s ninth race.