THOROUGHBRED RACING : Brocco, Not Dehere, Tops Predictions

Nearly three weeks after the 10th and finest Breeders’ Cup, here are one man’s opinions on the 1993 Eclipse Awards:

2-YEAR-OLD--Brocco. After breaking his maiden in his first start, then winning an allowance race in his second, the Kris S. colt beat 10 rivals in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, including the much-heralded Dehere. There is an argument that Dehere has done more this year and is still deserving of the honor despite his flop in California, but he apparently wasn’t beating much back East. Brocco won the championship race and proved himself around two turns. Dehere didn’t.

2-YEAR-OLD FILLY--Phone Chatter. Trainer Richard Mandella’s filly wrapped up her year by winning the Oak Leaf and a memorable Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, the latter despite suffering a hairline ankle fracture during the race.

3-YEAR-OLD--Prairie Bayou. No sophomore really distinguished himself in the latter part of the year, but the ill-fated Prairie Bayou did the most early before he broke down in the Belmont Stakes.

3-YEAR-OLD FILLY--Hollywood Wildcat. Sent to trainer Neil Drysdale by owners Irving and Marge Cowan early in the summer, the Kris S. filly responded with five consecutive stakes victories, capped by a thrilling triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Sky Beauty beat weak fields in New York and shouldn’t even be considered, despite her glossy record.

OLDER MALE--Bertrando. If Arcangues hadn’t popped up with the biggest surprise in Breeders’ Cup history in the Classic, Bertrando would be a viable horse-of-the-year candidate. Instead, owner Ed Nahem and trainer Bobby Frankel will have to settle for this honor. The California-bred son of Skywalker was devastating in the Pacific Classic and the Woodward.

OLDER FEMALE--Paseana. The 6-year-old mare wasn’t as good this year as she was in 1992, but she was worse than second only once in eight starts and had three Grade I victories. She missed a fourth by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

MALE TURF HORSE--Kotashaan. This is the toughest category of all because Lure and Star Of Cozzene are also deserving. Kotashaan gets the edge because he won five Grade I races and competed in the Breeders’ Cup, winning the Turf. Lure’s only Grade I victory was the Breeders’ Cup Mile and Star Of Cozzene didn’t run in the Cup.

FEMALE TURF HORSE--Toussaud or Flawlessly. They will race in the Matriarch on Sunday at Hollywood Park and to the winner should go the Eclipse. Flawlessly wrapped up her title last year with a victory in the Matriarch, beating Kostroma and Super Staff. Toussaud has accomplished more this year and beat males in the American Handicap.

SPRINTER--Cardmania. The 7-year-old Cox’s Ridge gelding won only twice in 12 starts, but he picked the right time to get hot. He won the Ancient Title Handicap, then came back and won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, so trainer Derek Meredith’s late-runner deserves the award.

JOCKEY--Mike Smith. The regular rider of Lure, Sky Beauty and Prairie Bayou, among others, Smith is the national leader in earnings and has an outside chance to break Pat Day’s record of 60 stakes victories in a year. Smith had 50 through Sunday and will arrive at Hollywood Park Sunday to ride the rest of the meeting.

TRAINER--Bobby Frankel. Even though he was shut out on Breeders’ Cup day, Frankel still holds a sizable lead in the money standings and he has been consistent all year. Frankel is long overdue for an Eclipse.

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J.F. Williams, who has run to all four of his victories at Hollywood Park, is the 5-2 favorite in today’s $116,100 On Trust Handicap, the traditional Thanksgiving feature. Post time is 11 a.m., 90 minutes earlier than usual.

A 4-year-old son of Broad Brush and half-brother of Star Of Cozzene, J.F. Williams had a troubled trip in his last start at Santa Anita, which was his first race since May 12. He was pinched back at the break, then lost his punch after trying to rally while wide in the turn.

Laffit Pincay will ride the colt for the first time today in the On Trust, which is restricted to California-breds and is run at 7 1/2 furlongs.

Thirteen others were entered, among them 7-2 second choice Native Boundary and 9-2 third choice Tokolosh.

Second to Best Pal in the California Cup Classic, Native Boundary will be seeking his first victory in more than 19 months. Tokolosh, who has lost only once in four starts, could be severely compromised by his post position. He drew the rail, which isn’t the place to be at this distance.

The rest of the field: Hill Pass, Arp, Run On The Bank, Glowing Crown, Echo Of Yesterday, His Legacy, Outlawed, Triumphal’s Bounty, Cantua Creek, Bossanova and Irish Twist. Outlawed and Irish Twist will race coupled as the mutuel field.

Horse Racing Notes

Entries were taken Wednesday morning for Friday’s special 13-race card. Post time will be 4 p.m. . . . Flawlessly worked five furlongs in 59 4/5 Wednesday morning with Chris McCarron aboard. “She went a nice, easy five-eighths of a mile,” said trainer Charlie Whittingham. “She really thrives over this course. It’s a much firmer one (than Santa Anita) and she really moves well over it.”

Toussaud worked the same distance out of the gate in 59 3/5 at Santa Anita. . . . Corey Nakatani, who won nine races the first five days of the meeting and leads the jockey standings, was off his mounts Wednesday.