HORSE RACING / HOLLYWOOD PARK : The Grass Isn’t Greener for Filly

Don’t expect any more grass races for Knight Prospector.

Winner of three in a row on dirt, the 4-year-old Native Prospector filly was a badly beaten fifth at 7-10 odds in the $108,000 Valkyr Handicap on turf at Hollywood Park on Monday.

Bel’s Starlet, a course specialist and the defending champion, took full advantage of Knight Prospector’s dislike for turf, easily beating Bountiful Native by 2 1/2 lengths under Gary Stevens in 1:01 3/5 for the 5 1/2 furlongs.

This was the fourth victory in 12 grass starts at Hollywood Park for the 6-year-old Bel Bolide mare and was the second stakes victory in three days for owners John and Betty Mabee. Their Best Pal won the Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday.

Well off the early pace being set by longshots Jetinwith Kennedy and Sangre Fria, Bel’s Starlet rallied between horses and won going away for trainer Richard Mandella.

“This mare’s got such good acceleration,” Stevens said. “(Sangre Fria) has a habit of drifting out a little bit, but (Mandella) told me the first time I rode (Bel’s Starlet) that she doesn’t mind running on the inside of horses. She’ll go through a gopher hole if you need to.

“I just pointed her for the hole and she took me right through it. She’s really a great mare to ride.”

Knight Prospector has been a pleasure for jockey Kent Desormeaux, but it was obvious she was in trouble when she was unable to keep pace with Jetinwith Kennedy and Sangre Fria early.

“She wasn’t set real good at the break,” trainer Craig Lewis said. “And maybe she doesn’t like the turf. She’s blind in her inside eye. I don’t know what effect, if any, that had. I think we’ll stick with the dirt, though.”

This wouldn’t get any argument from her rider, who was foiled in his bid to win his third consecutive stake after winning the Triple Bend and American with Now Listen and Toussaud, respectively.

“She didn’t do anything,” he said. “She’s just not a grass mare, I guess.”

Bountiful Native, who is also much better on the main track, finished nearly two lengths in front of Priceless Picture.

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Apprentice jockey Sal Gonzalez Jr. continued his hot streak with three more victories Monday.

Gonzalez, who won’t turn 18 until July 23, moved into fourth place in the Hollywood Park jockey standings after victories with Run In My Stocking, Majolique and Chickapee. He now has 38 winners and trails Kent Desormeaux, Corey Nakatani and Eddie Delahoussaye.

Horse Racing Notes

Bel’s Starlet, who paid $6 as the 2-1 second choice, has won 11 of 38 starts and has earnings of $723,152. . . . Jolypha, victim of a horrible trip when beaten by nine lengths by Flawlessly in the Beverly Hills Handicap nine days ago, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds Monday morning at Santa Anita. Jolypha will probably make her next start against males in the Eddie Read Handicap Aug. 8 at Del Mar. . . . Sir Beaufort, who skipped the Hollywood Gold Cup after two dull races earlier in the meeting, went five furlongs in 59 3/5 Monday morning. . . . Guislaine, a 4-year-old filly trained by Rodney Rash and owned by Berry Gordy, was destroyed after suffering broken bones during a recent workout. Guislaine had four victories in 16 starts and earnings of $275,616 and won the Allez France Handicap at Hollywood Park last fall.