HOLLYWOOD PARK : Flawlessly, Jolypha Will Meet in the Beverly Hills Handicap

Asking a horse to win a Grade I race after more than six months away from the track is asking a lot.

Flawlessly is being asked that in the $321,200 Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday. At least the 5-year-old Affirmed mare has experience at the task. Trainer Charlie Whittingham’s champion did it last year.

After winning the Matriarch in December of 1991, Flawlessly did not race last year until the Beverly Hills, then beat the now-retired Kostroma in a thrilling stretch battle.

That was the beginning of what proved to be a rewarding season for Flawlessly. She wrapped up 1992 with another victory in the Matriarch and was voted an Eclipse Award as the nation’s top female turf performer.

Whether the scenario plays out the same way this year remains to be seen, but Flawlessly acts as if she will once again be hard for any filly or mare to defeat.

On a course over which she is unbeaten in four starts, Flawlessly worked five furlongs in 58 seconds about an hour before the first race on Wednesday under regular rider Chris McCarron.

“She’s doing better than she did at this time last year,” Whittingham said. “She’s very willing.”

A victory by Flawlessly on Sunday would give Whittingham nine in the 1 1/8-mile turf race and five since 1986. He has won consecutive races twice before, with La Zanzara in 1974 and ’75 and Swingtime in 1977 and ’78.

“(Flawlessly) is about as good as anybody,” he said. “The big thing with her is, she’s got a great disposition and she can really run.”

As was Kostroma last year, a European import will be the Harbor View Farm mare’s biggest threat Sunday. Jolypha, who gave Americans their first glimpse of her ability with a third-place finish in the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Classic, will make her second start of the year.

Termed by Bobby Frankel as the best horse he ever has trained, Jolypha had nothing more than a workout in winning her ’93 debut against outclassed allowance rivals on May 8.

She has trained well for Frankel and, carrying 121 pounds, will have two less than Flawlessly. Frankel had expressed concern over the hardness of the turf course earlier in the week, but now says Jolypha will run. Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

Frankel also entered Toussaud, who, like Jolypha, is owned by Juddmonte Farm. She is a double stakes winner at the meeting, having won the Wilshire and Gamely handicaps. Eddie Delahoussaye will ride her.

There are only three other entrants--Wedding Ring, Party Cited and Steff Graf.

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Casual Lies, the runner-up to Lil E. Tee in the 1992 Kentucky Derby, will race for the first time this year in the $150,000 Golden Gate Fields Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap today.

Owner-trainer Shelley Riley’s 4-year-old hasn’t raced since he finished fourth in the Lazaro Barrera Handicap last November at Hollywood Park. Casual Lies worked five furlongs in 1:00 Tuesday at Pleasanton.

“I thought it was perfect,” Riley said of the workout. “We’ve done everything we can to make him fit enough.”

Other entrants for the 1 1/16-mile race, to be simulcast at Hollywood Park, are Seahawk Gold, Supermec, Last Lion, Stately Cielo, Infamous Deed, Military Hawk, Athenia Green, Vying Victor, Desert Sun and Region.

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Frankel will send out 40% of the field in the $75,000 Jim Murray Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

The percentage would have been even higher, but Frankel scratched Missionary Ridge on Friday, leaving Intelligently and Toulon as his representatives in the 1 1/2-mile turf race.

Beyton, who finished seventh of eight in the Hollywood Turf Handicap after an auspicious U.S. debut, is the 6-5 favorite in the Murray. The competition is much softer today, and he will be reunited with Desormeaux, who rode him in his two-length victory on May 5.

The only other starters will be Hero’s Welcome, who has been competing against softer competition up north, and Super Chief, coming off a 15-length victory at Turf Paradise in Phoenix. Super Chief, however, didn’t come close against winners in four races at Santa Anita during the winter-spring season.

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Topped by Best Pal, 13 horses were nominated for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, which will be run a week from today.

The others nominated are Latin American, the Californian winner; Rough Habit, an Australian star; Marquetry, Mervyn LeRoy and 1991 Gold Cup winner; Missionary Ridge, Bossanova, Campo Marzio, Lottery Winner, Major Impact, Potrillon, Sir Beaufort, Bertrando and Valley Crossing.

Eight are probable starters--Best Pal, Latin American, Lottery Winner, Rough Habit, Major Impact, Marquetry, Potrillon and Sir Beaufort.

Horse Racing Notes

A memorial service will be held Monday at Santa Anita for former steward Hubert Jones, who died Monday of complications of a brain tumor. The service will be held at 11 a.m. in Seabiscuit Court in the paddock gardens. . . . Corey Nakatani will ride Desert Sun in the Golden Gate Fields Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap today and Val Des Bois in the Caesars International at Atlantic City on Sunday.

The Caesars International will feature another showdown between Lure and Star Of Cozzene. They have raced three times this year, Lure having won twice. Star Of Cozzene won their last meeting, the Manhattan Handicap June 6 at Belmont Park, preventing Lure from earning a $1-million bonus.