DEL MAR : Hollywood Wildcat Wins the Oaks

Winning her third consecutive race since Neil Drysdale began training her, Hollywood Wildcat came around horses to score a one-length victory in the $175,000 Del Mar Oaks before 19,342 Sunday.

Based on her victories in the Hollywood Oaks on July 11 and the San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 1, Hollywood Wildcat was the 4-5 favorite in the race for 3-year-old fillies.

Possibly Perfect almost gave trainer Bobby Frankel his second stakes victory in as many days. He saddled Bertrando for his victory Saturday in the Pacific Classic.

Undefeated in two starts since leaving France, Possibly Perfect finished 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Miami Sands, who was a neck better than Adorydar.

Likeable Style, who was favored in the Hollywood Oaks while running fifth, was sixth Sunday. Previously, she had won five of seven starts.

Hollywood Wildcat, a daughter of Kris S. out of the Mr. Prospector mare Miss Wildcatter who was bred and is owned by Hollywood, Fla., residents Irving and Marge Cowan, earned $96,250 while improving to two for two on grass. She paid $3.60 and was timed in 1:48 1/5 for 1 1/8 miles.

Hollywood Wildcat, ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, was on the rail, in fourth place, going down the backstretch, while Possibly Perfect, under Kent Desormeaux, Amal Hayati and Adorydar set the pace.

On the far turn, Delahoussaye found himself in a tight spot, outside of Vinista and inside of Adorydar and Chris McCarron.

“McCarron had a lot of horse left, and he was holding me in,” Delahoussaye said. “We were trapped, so I eased mine back.”

Hollywood Wildcat responded to three right-handed whacks from Delahoussaye’s whip in the last sixteenth of a mile.

“She’s a top filly and you can do what you want with her,” Delahoussaye said. “Hopefully, she’ll stay sound and I’ll really have some fun with her in the future.”

Hollywood Wildcat had been racing in Florida before the Cowans sent her to Drysdale this summer.

“It seems that she can be placed anywhere in a race and still accelerate,” Drysdale said. “She seems to show another dimension every time we race her. She was boxed and still was able to extricate herself. This was a big step for her. She just gives this tremendous burst the last eighth of a mile.”

Hollywood Wildcat’s next race is expected to be during the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita, which will include the Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 6.

Horse Racing Notes

Hollywood Wildcat and Cascading Gold, in 1991, have accounted for trainer Neil Drysdale’s three stakes victories at Del Mar in the last five years. . . . Before Drysdale, Hollywood Wildcat had been a consistent filly in the East, with four victories, one second and two thirds in nine starts. . . . Sunday’s victory sent her purses over the $500,000 mark. . . . Laffit Pincay’s victory Sunday was No. 7,993. . . . New York-based Chris Antley drew a five-day suspension for his ride aboard Seven Rivers, the third-place finisher in Saturday’s seventh race. They said he failed “to maintain a straight course through the stretch, causing interference to another horse.” Seven Rivers was not disqualified. Antley’s mount, Valley Crossing, was fifth in the Pacific Classic and he finished fifth again Sunday astride Amal Hayati in the Del Mar Oaks. In 1991, Antley drew a five-day suspension after the Santa Anita Handicap when the stewards ruled that his horse, Defensive Play, contributed to a spill involving My Boy Adam and Pincay. . . . A Del Mar regular, Goncalino Almeida, begins a five-day suspension Wednesday.

Flawlessly and Let’s Elope, scheduled to run Saturday in the Beverly D. Stakes, and Leger Cat and Johann Quatz, who’ll run in the Arlington Million Sunday, will be on a flight to Chicago today. California trainers have debated about running at Arlington, where dozens of horses have been affected by a virus. The Million will be run without Kotashaan and Bien Bien, two of California’s best grass horses.